
& u. & u. 



THK(»IH")liI-; UOOS10YEL.T, THE CITIZEN. 
Amid America's Grandeur, Yosemite. 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT 

HIS LIFE AND WORK 



PICTURESQUE, VIRILE, STRENUOUS 

He Reigned an Uncrowned King 

In a Land that Had No Kings 



Written and Edited by 
FREDERICK E. DRINKER and JAY HENRY MOWBRAY 
Authors of "Roosevelt's Illustrious Career" 
and ''Renowned Hunt." 



Fully illustrated with reproduced photographs of the former 

President, his family and the actions in 

which he participated. 



FATIONAL PUBLISHING CO, 
o, 241 American Street 

PHILADELPHIA, PA, 



•D 






Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1919, by National Publishing Co., 
in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C. 



ICLA511923 



J/ 

INTRODUCTION 



He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill; 
our antagonist is our helper. — Burke. 

He would not have liked it, perhaps, that one call him a peda- 
gogue, and yet in the passing of the great man Theodore Roosevelt 
on January 6, 1919, America lost one of her foremost teachers. 
Sturdy Americanism was his major subject and he taught it with a 
vigor and enthusiasm which left its mark upon the nation. 

No brick walls limited the sphere of his influence. The breadth 
of the land was his class-room and his students were of the millions 
everywhere who found their lessons in his daily life. For perhaps 
more than any other public man of his day, Theodore Roosevelt, with 
the courage of his convictions, practiced what he preached. 

The fighter is always the teacher, and Theodore Roosevelt was 
primarily a fighter. It would have been his choice to have faced death 
on the battlefields, doing his part in leading and inspiring his fellow- 
citizenship in the charge against autocracy. Denied that opportunity, 
there remained for him a field of service no less important in the 
counsels of the nation, to determine its course through tangled paths, 
and with tongue and pen he laid about him with a force and vision 
that left their impress. He sent his sons to battle for the cause and 
became a leader in the civilian forces which provided the sinews of 
war. 

No leader had loftier ideals than Theodore Roosevelt and he 
aimed to achieve them by red-blooded appeals to the heart of his 
fellow-men to "fear God and take their own part." In another age 
he might have been called a "militant Christian." 

Through his life the same forceful, picturesque conduct marked 
his path. »Coming generations will look back over the long list of 
Presidents of the United States and Theodore Roosevelt will be 
named as among the great. 

The story of his life has a resistless fascination for all who read 



VI INTRODUCTION 

and are interested in the history of the country and the progress of 
man, for not only was Colonel Roosevelt (as he chose to have himself 
called after he retired from the presidency) a great political leader, 
but he was "doer of things" and possessed a personality whose in- 
fluence reached into many spheres. 

No man worked harder than Theodore Eoosevelt and it is related 
of him that during the period of his incumbency as President of the 
United States no man who came to him to discuss a subject found 
him unprepared to enter into its consideration. 

Frequently his visitors found that he had delved into subjects 
far afield in order to establish a common ground upon which they 
could meet and talk. He invaded the fields of art, literature, science 
and business — every sphere of human endeavor — often reading and 
working far into the night that he might be prepared to discuss the 
matter which was to come before him. 

Shams and deceptions were his abhorrence and his antagonism 
in this direction was displayed in every position he ever occupied. 
His sympathy was strong for those in the humbler walks of life — the 
hardy yeomanry and rank and file of the nation — and they in return 
idolized him. The mere announcement that he was to speak or to 
appear at any public meeting was sufficient to draw a tremendous 
throng of enthusiastic adherents and worshippers in any community. 
As a public official — from his connection with the government of 
the city of New York and as a member of the New York State Legis- 
lature down to the last days of his presidency — he was the out- 
spoken foe of all political corruption, and no man dared to approach 
him with base or dishonorable suggestion. He arose like a giant in 
his wrath against intrigue and selfishness, and spared neither those 
in the high positions nor the low. 

A truthful portrayal of the life of Colonel Eoosevelt must contain 
the information that few men in public life aroused such antagonism 
as the dead ex-President, and few have been more bitterly assailed 
for inconsistenc3 r , but his bitterest enemies never questioned his 
Americanism or doubted his deep love of country or the high aspira- 
tions which he held for the future of the riation. 

Colonel Roosevelt's judgment of men, while not infrequently at 
fault, showed to wonderful advantage in the selection of those who 
were to direct matters for the Government, and particularly the Army 



INTRODUCTION vn 

and Navy. It was Mr. Roosevelt who, under a storm of criticism, 
lifted General Pershing from obscurity to a high place in the Army ; 
pushed into the line Major General Leonard Wood, and in bringing 
about the reorganization of the Navy gave opportunity to Vice 
Admiral Sims, then only a commander, who served with signal 
success as the commander of the American fleet abroad during the 
World War. 

It was, in fact, Colonel Roosevelt who lifted the United States 
Navy out of a position of inferiority and made it second only to that 
of England in size, and second to none in fighting qualities, and who 
reorganized the Army after the Spanish-American War and laid the 
foundation upon which was constructed the wonderful organization 
which thrilled the world during 1918 on the battle-fronts of old 
Europe. 

Colonel Roosevelt, too, was a pioneer in the world peace move- 
ment, and if the plans for securing universal peace were not carried 
out in the ultimate efforts to prevent future wars, it is nevertheless 
true that it was he who called the Second Hague Peace Conference, 
and received the Nobel Peace Prize for bringing to an end the 
Japanese-Russian War. 

And when the great European War came upon the world his ad- 
mirers took delight in recalling the fact that he was one of the first to 
appraise the Kaiser at his true worth and call Germany's bluff. In 
this connection the world will never forget the impression Mr. Roose- 
velt made as President when he summoned to the White House the 
German Ambassador and directed him to telegraph his Government 
that it must agree within forty-eight hours to arbitrate the Vene- 
zuelan dispute or meet Admiral Dewey's battle fleet. It is a matter 
of record that the Kaiser accepted the Roosevelt ultimatum and kept 
his hands off of the defenceless South American nation. 

No less picturesque was his method of meeting the situation when 
the whole world was filled with the idea that Japan, fresh from con- 
quest in Russia, was about to attack the United States. President 
Roosevelt met the situation by dispatching an American fleet around 
the world in command of Fighting "Bob" Evans, and invading Asi- 
atic waters. 

It is of interest in other fields that 'Colonel Roosevelt was one of 
the foremost advocates of the simplified form of spelling, and that he 



Vni INTRODUCTION 

was together platform orator, author, essayist, hunter, explorer, nat- 
uralist and most interesting of reconteurs. 

His home life was ideally happy and it can be said, as of few 
other men who have been accounted so great, that no breath of scandal 
ever touched his home or his private life, for to him home was a 
sacred thing. 

The spirit of Theodore Roosevelt will live always. Long after 
his words and acts have been largely forgotten, the marks which he 
set along the national course will remain and be honored in our 
history. 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I. 
Theodore Roosevelt — American ,.-... 13 

CHAPTER II. 
Roosevelt's Birth and Education 17 

CHAPTER III. 
Member of the New York Legislature . 29 

CHAPTER IV. 
Mr. Roosevelt as a Cowboy and Ranchman 45 

CHAPTER V. 
Mr. Roosevelt's Adventures in the West 59 

CHAPTER VI. 
A Masterly Secretary of the Navy 75 

CHAPTER VII. 
Colonel Roosevelt's Famous Rough Riders 93 

CHAPTER VIII. 
The Hero of the Battlefield 106 

CHAPTER IX. 
Roosevelt's Brilliant Record in the War With Spain .... 122 

CHAPTER X. 
Mr. Roosevelt Elected Governor of New York 140 

CHAPTER XI. 
Roosevelt Nominated for Vice-President 154 

CHAPTER XII. 

Suddenly Called to Be President 165 

iz 



X CONTENTS 

CHAPTER XIII. 
President Roosevelt's Administration 171 

CHAPTER XIV. 
Roosevelt Triumphantly Elected 182 

CHAPTER XV. 
Curbing Predatory Wealth 19S 

CHAPTER XVI. 
Off for the African Jungle 209 

CHAPTER XVII. 
Roosevelt the Lion Slayer 219 

CHAPTER XVIII. 
Colonel Roosevelt a Remarkable Hunter 235 

CHAPTER XIX. 
Roosevelt Hunts on Lake Naivasha 248 

CHAPTER XX. 
A Sportsman and Naturalist 261 

CHAPTER XXL 
A Lion-Spearing Safari 275 

CHAPTER XXII. 
Triumphant Close of a Thrilling Hunt 290 

CHAPTER XXIII. 
Royal Honors for Theodore Roosevelt 302 

CHAPTER XXIV. 
Triumphal Journey Through Europe 312 

CHAPTER XXV. 
Colonel Roosevelt's Speech in Paris on Citizenship in a 

Republic 3 2 4 



CONTENTS xi 

CHAPTER XXVI. 
Distinguished Marks of Honor 331 

CHAPTER XXVII. 
Roosevelt for World Peace 343 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 
Colonel Roosevelt in Germany 352 

CHAPTER XXIX. 
Colonel Roosevelt in England 369 

CHAPTER XXX. 
Nation Greets Colonel Roosevelt 394 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

Forms Bull Moose Party 409 

• 

CHAPTER XXXII. 
Discovers River of Doubt 415 

CHAPTER XXXIII. 
Roosevelt in War Crisis 429 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 
Colonel — Man of Many Sides 439 

CHAPTER XXXV. 
The Passing of the Great Man 456 



CHAPTER I. 

THEODORE ROOSEVELT— AMERICAN. 

A Blood Clot Brings a Geeat Life to End — A Many Sided Man- - 
Champion of Democracy — A Model of Citizenship — Pic- 
turesque, Rugged, Versatile. 

"The lives of great men oft remind us 

We can make our lives sublime, 
And departing leave behind us 

Footprints on the sands of time." 

— The Psalm of Life. 

PROBABLY no man in modern history left a greater impress of 
his personality upon the country in which he lived than did 
Theodore Roosevelt, twenty-sixth President of the United States, 
who died at Oyster Bay, N. Y., on January 6, 1919, in the sixty-first 
year of his life. In the darkness of the early morning hours, and 
with none beside to note the passing of his spirit, Colonel Roosevelt, 
as he choose to be called after his retirement from the Presidency, 
went peacefully to his end. Pulmonary embolism, or the lodgment 
in his lung of a blood clot from a broken vein, brought him to an 
untimely end, leaving a nation and a world to mourn his loss. 

Few men have touched the circumference of life at so many 
points as did Theodore Roosevelt. Though not a scholar in the 
closely defined meaning of the term, he had delved with under- 
standing into widely diversified fields of endeavor, finding time to 
consider with remarkable energy everything which came to his 
notice. 

A facility for grasping the essentials of a subject no matter how 
technical or abstruse ; a dynamic force that made him prone to action, 
and an intimate knowledge of the American mind, gave him the 
personal power of a leader possessed by few men. 

There are those who during his life, and for time to come, may 
question the judgment upon which Colonel Roosevelt acted at times, 
but no man questioned his honesty of purpose nor his sturdy Ameri- 
canism. 

13 



14 THEODORE ROOSEVELT— AMERICAN 

Theodore Eoosevelt — American. This is the epitaph which a 
sorrowing nation inscribed upon the scroll of time. 

Colonel Eoosevelt was an American of the highest type. His 
personal integrity was without blemish and he was an earnest devo- 
tee of the home, not merely his own, which was the prominent ex- 
emplar of family life, but as an institution which forms the corner 
stone of the Nation. He was an advocate of an all-inclusive 
democracy, which would comprehend the whole people without dis- 
crimination, and he claimed justice and freedom under the law for 
every native-born and for all aliens who came to America honestly 
seeking citizenship. 

To the young man who would seek a model of citizenship the 
story of his life reveals unlimited possibilities, for he was at one 
and the same time, writer, statesman, politician, explorer, hunter, 
preacher of business and social morality and an advocate of the 
strenuous existence who stood unchallenged in his leadership. 

LIEUTENANT QUENTIN ROOSEVELT'S DEATH SAD NEWS. 

No man of his time gave to the world more epigrammatic or pic- 
turesque expressions and few men have had a fuller life. While 
lying critically ill in the Mercy Hospital, Chicago, in 1912, after 
he had been shot by a demented man while making a speech in 
Milwaukee, Colonel Eoosevelt said: "I am quite ready to die. I 
have had a full life, and I do not know anyone who has enjoyed 
life more. I have found life big, invigorating and worth while in 
everything that has come to me." 

Undoubtedly the strenuous trips which the Colonel made to 
Africa and to South America as part of the full life of which he 
spoke, had much to do with his ending at a time when other men 
are accomplishing some of their best works. It is certain that the 
fever which he contracted in the Brazilian jungle left its impress 
upon his rugged frame, and it is no less certain that the fate of his 
son, Lieutenant Quentin Eoosevelt, American aviator, shot down by 
a Boche in a battle in the air, in France, on July 17, 1918, hastened 
the end. 

For some weeks previous to confirmation of his death there were 
reports he had possibly been taken prisoner by the Germans and 
might turn up alive. This suspense added to the distress of the 
Eoosevelt household. 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT— AMERICAN 15 

When the sad news finally was officially confirmed, General 
Pershing cabled Colonel Roosevelt that, if desired, the body of Quentin 
would be removed to America. France meanwhile had paid the 
fullest honors to the dead aviator. The Roosevelt family declined 
to accept the War Department's offer. In a letter to General Peyton 
C. March, Chief of Staff, Colonel Roosevelt wrote : 

"Mrs. Roosevelt and I wish to enter a most respectful but most 
emphatic protest against the proposed course so far as our son 
Quentin is concerned. We have always believed that : 

" 'Where the tree falls, 
'There let it lie.' 

"We know that many good persons feel entirely different, but 
to us it is painful and harrowing long after death to move the poor 
body from which the soul has fled. We greatly prefer that Quentin 
shall continue to lie on the spot where he fell in battle and where the 
foemen buried him. 

"After the war is over Mrs. Roosevelt and I intend to visit the 
grave and then to have a small stone put up by us, but not disturbing 
what has already been erected to his memory by his friends and 
American comrades in arms." 

Colonel Roosevelt had been looking forward to his journey over- 
seas with mingled feelings of sadness and pride. 

At the time of their father's death, Lieutenant-Colonel Theo- 
dore Roosevelt, Jr., was with the Twenty-sixth Infantry of the Amer- 
ican Army at Montebaun, France, while Captain Kermit Roosevelt 
was with the American Army of Occupation near Coblenz. The 
latter received a letter from his father which was not delivered to 
him until the news of his death reached the American headquarters. 
Friends did not inform Captain Roosevelt of the death until after 
he had time to read the last message from his parent. Dr. Richard 
Derby, son-in-law of Colonel Roosevelt, was also in France, being 
attached to the headquarters of the Second Division. 

The last public contribution of Colonel Roosevelt to any publi- 
cation was a characteristic article for the ' ' Metropolitan Magazine, ' ' 
entitled, "Eyes to the Front." The article reached the publishers 
but a short time before the ex-President's death and shows how up 
to the very last he looked to the future. 



16 THEODOEE EOOSEVELT— AMERICAN 

Referring to the work of Congress the Colonel wrote : "Congress 
must keep its eyes on the future and begin to build for the future. 
The great war has put us in a new world. In this new world we 
must resolutely cling to the old things that were good, but we 
must also fearlessly adopt the new expedients imperative to bring 
justice under the new conditions. 

"The farmer, the working man and the business man are, of 
course, the three people upon whose welfare the welfare of all the 
rest of us and the country depends. ' ' Declaring that the farmer had 
not had a square deal, Colonel Roosevelt added that "we must never 
again permit the wageworkers to be looked upon as primarily a 
mere cog in the industrial machine," and urged recognition of their 
right to collective bargaining, suggesting that a system should be 
introduced which would provide for the representation of the workers 
on directorates, and cautioned that wages should be kept up. 

Rigid restrictions on immigration and efforts to keep people of 
the Bolshevist type from coming to America, a greater Merchant 
Marine and the granting of the vote to women without delay were 
among the things he advocated in this final contribution to the 
world. 




From One of His Best Pictures. 

This photograph of Theodore Roosevelt, released for public print, is considered 

an excellent picture. 




© w. 



ROOSEVELT AND HIS GRANDSON. 
The latest photograph of Col. Roosevelt and his grandson, the son of Captain 

Archie Roosevelt. 




French Official Photo. 



I. F. S. 



THE GRAVE OF LIEUT. QUENTIN ROOSEVELT. 
Lieut. Roosevelt was killed in combat with a German flier and was buried on 
the spot where he fell. Before the death of Colonel Roosevelt he and Mrs. Roosevelt 
were planning a trip to France to visit the grave of their youngest son. 




IN MEMORIAM-OUR COUNTRY IN SORROW 




COLONEL. ROOSEVELT AND COLONEL LENIHAX. 
Theodore Roosevelt addressing the 69th Regiment just before their departure over- 
seas. Colonel Lenihan was at that time in charge of the 69th. 




COPYRIGHT 190:, BY ClINEDINST, WASHINGTON, 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT WRITING HIS LAST MESSAGE IN HIS OFFICE 
AT THE WHITE HOUSE 




Copyright 1910, American Press Association, 
THEODORE ROOSEVELT, A.B., LL.D., Ph.D., D.C.L. 
This photograph was taken in London while the Colonel was on his way to Cam- 
bridge University to receive the degree of Doctor of Laws. 




ROOSEVELT AS A HUNTER WHEN A YOUNG MAN 




CO^YR.GHT, !8Q8 J BY GEO, O, ROCKWOOO, 



COLONEL THEODORE ROOSEVELT 
Celebrated Commander of the Rough Rider c 




COPYRIGHT 1899, BY KUHZ & ALL I SOU 

COLONEL THEODORE ROOSEVELT LEADING A CHARGE OF THE 

ROUGH RIDERS 




Copyright. Harris & Ewing, Washington, D. C. 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 
When President. 




COLONEL ROOSEVELT AT MONTAUK POINT 




Copyright 1902, by Clinedinst, Washington, D. C. 



THEODORE ROOSEVELT ON HORSEBACK. 

Mr. Roosevelt was an expert equestrian. This photograph shows one of his feats 
on his favorite horse. 




COL. ROOSEVELT AND HIS LIVING QUARTERS WHILE 
IN THE WILDS OF AFRICA 



CHAPTER II 

ROOSEVELT'S BIRTH AND EDUCATION. 

Eight Generations of Knickerbockers — Quality of the 
Roosevelt Stock — A Pale and Delicate Boy — Fishing on 
a Steamship — Preparing for College — Amusing Incident 
at the Preparatory School — Fond of Wrestling and 
Boxing — Career at Harvard — An Original Character — 
Partiality for Natural History — Member of Many Clubs — 
His Idea of a Good Citizen — Roosevelt's Graduation and 
Trip to Europe. 

T^HEODORE ROOSEVELT was born in New York city on 
* October 27, 1858, and comes from a family that for genera- 
tions has been noted for wealth, social position, high intelligence, 
disinterested public spirit, general usefulness and philanthropy. 
The list of his ancestors includes many who were distinguished in 
public life, and were honored for their sterling qualities. 

He is a Knickerbocker of the Knickerbockers, being seventh 
in descent from Klaas Martensen van Roosevelt, who, with his 
wife, Jannetje Samuels-Thomas, emigrated from the Netherlands 
to New Amsterdam in 1649, an< ^ became one of the most promi- 
nent and prosperous burghers of that settlement. For two and 
a half centuries the descendants of this couple have flourished in 
and near the city of New York, maintaining unimpaired the high 
social standing assumed at the beginning, and by thrift, indus- 
try and enterprise adding materially to the wealth acquired 
by inheritance. With the special opportunities for distinction 
afforded by the Revolution, a number of them came into marked 
prominence. 

Just previous to that struggle, and during its earlier years, 
Isaac Roosevelt was a member of the New York Provincial Con- 
gress. Later he sat in the State Legislature, and for several 
years was a member of the New York City Council. For quite a 

long period he was President of the Bank of New York. Jacobus 
■:— T.R. 17 



J 8 ROOSEVELT'S BIRTH AND EDUCATION. 

J. Roosevelt, great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, who 
was born in 1759, g ave his services without compensation as com- 
missary during the War for Independence. A brother of this 
Revolutionary patriot, Nicolas J. Roosevelt, born in New York 
city in 1767, was an inventor of ability, and an associate of Robert 
L. Livingston, John Stevens and Robert Fulton in developing the 
steamboat and steam navigation. 

The grandfather of Governor Roosevelt, Cornelius van Shaick 
Roosevelt, born in New York city in 1794, was an importer of 
hardware and plate glass, aud one of the five richest men in the 
town. He was one of the founders of the Chemical Bank. One 
of his brothers, James J. Roosevelt, was a warm friend and ardent 
supporter of Andrew Jackson ; served in the New York Legisla- 
ture and in Congress, and was a Justice of .the Supreme Court of 
New York from 185 1 to 1859. . 

A DISTINGUISHED FAMILY. 

A cousin, James Henry Roosevelt, was distinguished for his 
philanthropies, and left an estate of a million dollars, which, by 
good management, was doubled in value, to found the famous 
Roosevelt Hospital in New York city. Cornelius V. S. Roosevelt 
married Mary Barnhill, of Philadelphia. Of their six sons the 
Hon. Robert B. Roosevelt was one of New York's most distin- 
guished citizens, served in Cougress and also as a United States 
Minister to the Netherlands. 

Theodore, another son, born in New York city, and deceased 
in 1878, was the father of President Theodore Roosevelt. He mar- 
ried Martha Bulloch, who, with four of their children, survived 
him. Theodore Roosevelt, Sr., continued in the business founded 
by his father, and became a controlling factor in the plate glass 
trade. He greatly augmented the family fortune, and at his death 
was repated a millionaire. 

Thus President Roosevelt comes from a distinguished family. 
Good stock may turn out to be poor sometimes, but it makes a 
vast difference as to the kind of blood a man has in his veins, and 
good stock is much more likely to turn out well than stock of the 



ROOSEVELT'S BIRTH AND EDUCATION. 19 

opposite kind. It meant something to be a Roosevelt. More was 
expected of every member of the family than would have been 
expected of anyone with a name less honorable. It was some 
advantage, and at the same time it involved a good deal of respon- 
sibility, to be connected by blood and birth with an old Knicker- 
bocker family that had helped for generations to make the history 
of New York. 

It was the Roosevelt idea that a boy should be taught to run 
alone, be independent, be something more than a pampered weak- 
ling. Money was intended to help a young man, not to handicap 
him. Young Theodore might have lived on his fortune and 
made his life one of sport and pleasure, but to do this he would 
have had to be something besides a Roosevelt. Such an aimless 
empty, worthless career would have been contrary to all the 
Roosevelt family history and achievements. There is no good 
reason why the self-made men should all be poor. It is possible 
to become great in spite of money. 

HIS APPEARANCE WHEN A BOY. 

Mr. Ray S. Baker, in a sketch of Mr. Roosevelt, says this of 
his boyhood : "As a young boy he was thin-shanked, pale and 
delicate, giving little promise of the amazing vigor of his later 
life. To avoid the rough treatment of the public school, he was 
tutored at home, also attending a private school for a time — Cut- 
ler's, one of the most famous of its day. Most of his summers 
and in fact two-thirds of the year, he spent at the Roosevelt farm 
near Oyster Bay, then almost as distant in time from New York 
as the Adirondacks now are. For many years he was slow to 
learn and not strong enough to join in the play of other boys • 
but as he grew older he saw that if he ever amounted to anything 
he must acquire vigor of body. With characteristic energy he 
set about developing himself. He swam, he rode, he ran; he 
tramped the hills back of the bay, for pastime studying and cata- 
loguing the birds native to his neighborhood ; and thus he laid 
the foundation of that incomparable physical vigor from which 

rose his future prowess as a ranchman and hunter." 
H. B. G.— 4 



20 ROOSEVELT'S BIRTH AND EDUCATION. 

At the age of eleven years, young Roosevelt made a voyage 
across the Atlantic with his father. A boyhood friend, by name 
George Cromwell, tells several amusing incidents of the Euro- 
pean voyage. It was a great event in 1869 to cross the Atlantic, 
particularly for youngsters, all of them under eleven years of age. 

"As I remember Theodore," recalls Mr. Cromwell, "he was 
a tall, thin lad, with bright eyes and legs like pipe-stems. 

"One of the first things I remember about him on that 
voyage was, that after the ship had got out of sight of land he 
remarked, half to himself, as he glanced at the water, ' I guess 
there ought to be a good many fish here.' Then an idea sud- 
denly struck him, and turning to me he said : ( George, go get 
me a small rope from somewhere, and we'll play a fishing game.' 
I don't know why I went at once in search of that line, without 
asking why he didn't go himself; but I went, and it never 
occurred to me to put the question. He had told me to go, and 
in such a determined way that it settled the matter. 

A MASTERLY LEADER FROM BOYHOOD. 

" Even then he was a leader — a masterful, commanding little 
fellow — who seemed to have a peculiar quality of his own of mak- 
ing his playmates obey him, not at all because we were afraid, but 
because we wanted to, and somehow felt sure we would have a good 
time and get lots of fun if we did as he said. 

" Well, I went after the line and brought it to him. While I 
was gone on the errand he had thought out all the details of the 
fishing game, and had climbed on top of a coiled cable ; for, of 
course, he was to be the fisherman. 

" ' Now,' he said, as I handed him the line, ' all you fellows 
lie down fiat on the deck here, and make believe to swim around 
like fishes. I'll throw one end of the line down to you, and the 
first fellow that catches hold of it is a fish that has bit my hook. 
He must just pull as hard as he can, and if he pulls me 
down off this coil of rope, why, then he will be the fisherman and 
I will be a fish. But if he lets go, or if I pull him up here off the 
deck, why I will still be the fisherman. The game is to see how 



ROOSEVELT'S BIRTH AND EDUCATION. 21 

many fish each of us can land up here. The one who catches the 
most fish wins.' 

" The rest of us lay down flat on our stomachs," Mr. Crom- 
well says, in continuation of his narrative, " and made believe to 
swim ; and Theodore, standing above us on the coiled cable, threw 
down one end of his line — a thin but strong rope. If I remember 
correctly, my brother was the first fish to grasp the line — and then 
commenced a mighty struggle. It seemed to be much easier for 
the fish to pull the fisherman down than for the fisherman to haul 
up the dead weight of a pretty heavy boy l}'ing flat on the deck 
below him — and I tell you it was a pretty hard struggle. My 
brother held on to the line with both hands and wrapped his legs 
around it, grapevine fashion. Theodore braced his feet on the 
coiled cable, stiffened his back, shut his teeth hard, and wound his 
end of the line around his waist. At first he tried by sheer mus- 
cle to pull the fish up — but he soon found it was hard work to lift 
up a boy about as heavy as himself. 

THE FISH CAUGHT BY STRATEGY. 

" Then another bright idea struck him. He pulled less and 
less, and at last ceased trying to pull at all. Of course the fish 
thought the firsherman was tired out, and he commenced to pull, 
hoping to get Theodore down on deck. He didn't succeed at first, 
and pulled all the harder. He rolled over on his back, then on 
his side, then sat up, all the time pulling and twisting and yanking 
at the line in every possible way; and that was just what Theodore 
hoped the fish would do. You see, all this time, while my brother 
was using his strength, Theodore simply stood still, braced like 
steel, and let him tire himself out. 

"Before very long the fish was so out of breath that he couldn't 
pull any longer. Besides, the thin rope had cut his hands and 
made them sore. Then the fisherman commenced slowly and 
steadily to pull on the line, and in a very few minutes he had my 
brother hauled up alongside of him on the coil of cable." 

The elder Roosevelt was a firm believer in hard work, and 
made this a part of the science he knew so well — the science of 



22 ROOSEVELT'S BIRTH AND EDUCATION. 

bringing up a boy. Although a man of wealth and position he 
taught his children — the four of them, two boys and two girls — the 
virtue of labor, and pointed with the finger of scorn to the despic- 
able thing called man who lived in idleness. With such teach- 
ings at home, it is no wonder that Theodore was moved to declare: 
" I was determined as a bo}^ to make a man of myself. " 
His vacation days and little outing excursions to the farms of 
his uncles gave the boy a fondness for country life, which found 
appreciation in later 3-ears in these words: 

" I belong as much to the country as to the city, I owe all my 
vigor to the country." 

RESOLVED TO MAKE SOMETHING OF HIMSELF. 

In New York he was an example of the strong-spirited, well- 
educated young Knickerbocker of the better class. " He had no 
need to work," says a writer in McClure's. " His income was 
ample to keep him in comfort, even luxury, all his life. He might 
spend his summers in Newport and his winters on the continent, 
and possibly win some fame as an amateur athlete and a society 
man; and no one would think of blaming him, nor of asking more 
ihan he gave." 

Such a life, however, was not according to his taste or the 
high ideal of manhood and splendid achievement he had placed 
before him. He was not a dreamer, not a builder of air-castles. 
Better than the moderate wealth he had inherited were the family 
traits, the strong common sense, the noble purposes and true ideas 
of worldly success, which were as much a part of him as his fond- 
ness for fun and athletic sports. Let every American boy 
remember Mr. Roosevelt's saying that in earl y life he resolved to 
make something of himself. 

He attended a preparatory school, in order to fit himself for 
entering Harvard College. It was customary with the teacher in 
this school to call on the boys for declamations. Theodore at that 
early period lacked many of the graces of oratory, which he seems 
to have acquired afterward ; and, like most boys, when he was the 
victim of embarrassment his memory was more or less treacherous. 



ROOSEVELT'S BIRTH AND EDUCATION. 23 

Upon one occasion lie was called upon to recite the poem 

beginning : 

"At midnight, in his guarded tent 

The Turk lay dreaming of the hour 
When Greece, her knee in suppliance bent, 
Would tremble at his power." 

Theodore arose and started out bravely. With all the flour- 
ishes of boyish energy he repeated the lines as far as "When 
Greece, her knee " and then he stopped. 

He stammered, shuffled his feet, and began again : " When 

Greece, her knee " The old schoolmaster leaned forward, and 

in a shrill voice said : "Grease 'em again, Teddy, and maybe it 
will go then." And Teddy, with his usual pluck, tried it again 
with marked success. 

" What strong direction did your home influence take in your 
boyhood ? " was asked Mr. Roosevelt. 

"Why," he replied, "I was brought up with the constam 
injunction to be active and industrious. My father — all my peo- 
ple — held that no one had a right to merely cumber the earth; 
that the most contemptible of created beings is the man who does 
nothing. I imbibed the idea that I must work hard, whether at 
making money or whatever else. 

TAUGHT THAT HE MUST BE A WORKER. 

" The whole family training taught me that I must be doing, 
must be working — and at decent work. I made my health what 
it is. I determined to be strong and well, and did everything to 
make myself so. By the time I entered Harvard College I was 
able to take my part in whatever sports I liked. I wrestled and 
sparred and ran a great deal while in college, and though I never 
came in first I got more good of the exercise than those who did, 
because I immensely enjoyed it and never injured niyself. 

" I was fond of wrestling and boxing ; I think I was a good 
deal of a wrestler, and, though I never won a championship, yet 
more than once I won my trial heats and got into the final round. 
I was captain of my polo team at one time, but since I left college 



24 ROOSEVELT'S BIRTH AND EDUCATION. 

I have taken most of lny exercise in the ' cow country ' or moun- 
tain hunting." 

Theodore Roosevelt is the third graduate of Harvard Uni- 
versity to hold the highest honor in the gift of the American peo- 
ple. John Adams and John Quincy Adams were graduated from 
Harvard. It was in 1825 when J. Q. Adams became President. 
Now comes Roosevelt. Roosevelt entered Harvard in 1876, 
when he was eighteen years old. His work in college was char- 
acterized by the enthusiasm and earnestness which have become 
known to all the people as dominant traits of his character in 
public life. 

When he came to the Cambridge college he was a slight lad 
and not in robust health, but he at once took a judicious and reg- 
ular interest in athletics, and in a little while the effects were 
apparent in his stalwart figure and redoubled energy. He 
wrestled and sparred and ran a great deal, but never indulging in 
athletic work to the point of injury. 

EARNEST AND MATURE STUDENT. 

In his studies young Roosevelt was looked upon "as pecu- 
liarly earnest and mature in the way he took hold of things," as 
one of his classmates put it. Ex-Mayor Josiah Quincy, of Boston, 
who was in college with Roosevelt, says of him: 

" He exhibited in his college days most of the traits of 
character which he has shown in after years and on the larger 
stage of political life. In appearance and manner he has changed 
remarkably little in twenty years, and I should say that his lead- 
ing characteristic in college was the very quality of strenuousness 
which is now so associated with his public character. In what- 
ever he did he showed unusual energy, and the same aggressive 
earnestness which has carried so far in later life. 

"He exhibited a maturity of character, if not of intellectual 
development, greater than that of most of his classmates, and was 
looked upon as one of the notable members of the class — as one 
who possessed certain qualities of leadership and of popularity 
which might carry him far in the days to come, if not counter- 



ROOSEVELT'S BIRTH AND EDUCATION. 25 

balanced by impulsiveness in action or obstinacy in adhering to 
bis own ideas. He was certainly regarded as a man of unusually 
good fighting qualities, of determination, pluck and tenacity. 

" If bis classmates bad been asked in tbeir senior year to pick 
out tbe one member of the class wbo would be best adapted for 
such a service which he rendered with the Rough Riders in Cuba 
I think that, almost with one voice, they would have named 
Roosevelt. Theodore Roosevelt is in many respects as broad and 
typical an American as the country has produced." 

ORIGINAL AND SELF-RELIANT. 

Both his fellows and his teachers say that he was much above 
the average as a student. He was just as original, just as reliant 
on his own judgment as he is now. In a mere matter of opinion 
or of dogma he had no respect for an instructor's say-so above his 
own convictions, and some of his contemporaries in college recall 
with smiles some very strenuous discussions with teachers in which 
he was involved by his habit of defending his own convictions. 

At graduation he was one of the comparatively few who took 
honors, his subject being natural history. When young Roose- 
velt entered college he developed the taste for hunting and 
natural history which has since led him so often and so far through 
field and forest. His rifle and his hunting kit were the most con- 
spicuous things in his room. His birds he mounted himself. 

Live turtles and insects were always to be found in his study, 
and one who lived in the house with him at the time recalls well 
the excitement caused by a particularly large turtle sent by a 
friend from the southern seas, which got out of its box one night 
and started for the bathroom in search for water. Although well 
toward the top as a student he still had his full share of the gay 
rout that whiles dull care away. In his sophomore year he was 
one of the forty men in his class who belong to the Institute of 1770. 

In his senior year he was a member of the Porcelain, the 
Alpha Delta Phi, and the Hasty Pudding Clubs, being secretary 
of the last named. In the society of Boston he was often seen. 

Roosevelt's membership in clubs other than social shows 



26 ROOSEVELT'S BIRTH AND EDUCATION. 

conspicuously the kind of college man he was. In rowing, base-ball 
and foot-ball he was an earnest champion, but never a prominent 
participant. In the other athletic contests he was often seen. It 
was as a boxer that he excelled. Boxing was a regular feature of 
the Harvard contests of that day, and " Teddy," as he was uni- 
versally called, was the winner of many a bout. 

He had his share in college journalism. During his senior 
year he was one of the editors of the "Advocate." Unlike the 
other editors, he was not himself a frequent contributor. 

The range of his interests is shown by this enumeration of 
clubs in which he had membership. The Natural History Society, 
of which he was vice-president; the Art Club, of which Professor 
Charles Eliot Norton was the president; the Finance Club, the 
Glee Club (associate member), the Harvard Rifle Corps, the O. K. 
Society, of which he was ti ~asurer, and the Harvard Athletic 
Association, of which he was steward. 

HIS APPEARANCE AT GRADUATION. 

Roosevelt's share of class-day honors was membership in the 
class committee. All who knew Roosevelt in his college days 
speak of him as dashing and picturesque in his ways and hand- 
some appearance. His photograph, taken at graduation, shows 
no moustache, but a rather generous allowance of side whiskers. 

Although he was near-sighted, and wore glasses at the time, 
they do not appear in the photograph. Maturity and sobriety are 
the most evident characteristics of th e countenance. A companion 
of student days tells a story to shov that the future President did 
things then much as he does then now. A horse in a stable 
close to Roosevelt's room made a sudden noise one night which 
demanded instant attention. Young Roosevelt was in bed at the 
time, but he waited not for daytime clothes — nor did he even wait 
to get down the steps. He bounded out the second-story window, 
and had quieted the row before the less impetuous neighbors 
arrived. 

It was while in college that he conceived the idea of his his- 
tory of the American Navy in the War of 1812. This volume 



ROOSEVELT'S BIRTH AND EDUCATION. 27 

was written soon after leaving college. He was not yet twenty-foui 
when it was completed. In view of the position which the anthoi 
afterward held, next to the head of the American Navy, the preface, 
written before the beginning of our present navy, is of striking 
interest. He says : "At present people are beginning to realize 
that it is folly for the great English-speaking republic to rely for 
defense upon a navy composed partly of antiquated hulks and 
partly of new vessels rather more worthless than the old." 

IDEAS OF PUBLIC LIFE AND CITIZENSHIP. 

Mr. Roosevelt's ideas of college education, and the results 
thereof in the making of good citizens, are well denned in his 
admirable essay on "College and Public Life," written for the 
Atlantic Monthly, in which he says: "The first great question 
which the college graduate should learn, is the lesson of work 
rather than of criticism. College men must learn to be as practi- 
cal in politics as they would be in business or in law. A college 
man is peculiarly bound to keep a high ideal and to be true to it ; 
but he must work in practical ways to try to realize this ideal, and 
must not refuse to do anything because he cannot get anything. 
No man ever learned from books how to manage a governmental 
system." Yet he never disparaged book knowledge. 

He says further : 

" This obligation (of being good, active citizens) possibly rests 
even more heavily upon men of means ; of this it is not necessary 
now to speak. The men of mere wealth never can have, and never 
should have, the capacity for doing good work that is possessed 
by the men of exceptional mental training ; but that they ma)' 
become both a laughing stock and a menace to the community is 
made unpleasantly apparent by that portion of the New York 
business and social world which is most in evidence in the papers. 

"Wrongs should ;be strenuously -and fearlessly denounced; 
evil principles and evil men should be condemned. The politician 
who cheats or swindles, or the newspaper man who lies in any 
form, should be made to feel that he is an object of scorn for all 
honest men." 



28 ROOSEVELT'S BIRTH AND EDUCATION 

In giving advice to college men, and he knew whereof he 
spoke, he denies that they are better or worse than men who have 
never been inside the walls of a college, while their responsibili- 
ties are infinitely greater. 

"The worst offense that can be committed against the repub- 
lic is the offense of the public man who betrays his trust; but 
second only to it comes the offense of the man who tries to per- 
suade others that an honest and efficient public man is dishonest 
or unworthy. This is a wrong that can be committed in a great 
many different ways. Downright foul abuse may, after all, be 
less dangerous than incessant misstatements, sneers, and those 
half-truths which are the meanest lies." 

HIS LOFTY AIMS AND PURPOSES. 

It is evident that Mr. Roosevelt did not pursue a college 
course merely to gratify some ambitious member of his family 
who wished him to obtain and flourish an academic degree. Nor 
did he care to be known merely as an educated gentleman. Neither 
did he count the friendships and pleasant associations of 
college life a compensation for four years of study. He had a 
higher purpose in view than to be able merely to say he had been 
through college. 

He was a student, a scholar, an athlete, a man with a college 
degree that he might be something else. His education was only 
a stepping-stone to those grand achievements for which a course 
of study would help to prepare him. He had lofty aims. He 
wished to be more than a money maker or a money spender. He 
did not despise wealth, but he did despise the base, sordid, vulgar 
use of it. 

" Each of us who reads the Gettysburg speech," he writes, " or 
the second iuaugural address of the greatest American of the nine- 
teenth century, or who studies the long campaign and lofty states- 
manship of that other American who was even greater, cannot but 
feel within him that lift toward things higher and nobler which 
can never be bestowed by the enjoyment of material prosperity." 



CHAPTER III 
MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK LEGISLATURE. 

Mr. Roosevelt Resolves to Enter Political Life — Elected 
Assemblyman by the Murray Hill District in New 
York — His Views of Good Citizenship — Duties of Public 
Office — His Youthful Appearance — Enemy of all Polit- 
ical Abuses— What He Thinks Concerning "Bosses" and 
" Machines " — Every Citizen Expected to be a Patriot 
and Do His Whole Duty — Corruption in High Places — 
Frank to Admit an Error— Author of Civil Service 
Law — Roosevelt 'Sneered at as a Reformer— Victory 
in a Personal Encounter. 

MR. ROOSEVELT graduated from Harvard University in 1880, 
at the age of twenty-two. Returning from his trip to Europe, 
he began the study of law with his uncle, Robert B. Roosevelt. He 
had planned to write a history of the United States Navy, and 
was more engrossed with this, which was work congenial to his 
tastes, than he was with dry and musty law books. He had set 
his face toward the field of literature, and devoted all his spare 
time to the history which he was preparing for publication. 

The Roosevelts had always taken great interest in public 
affairs. They did not believe a man could be a good citizen with- 
out doing this. If they were not public officials they had a voice 
in making them. They were property holders and voters. They 
set a low estimate on men who are always ready to cry out against 
public evils and then neglect their duty at primaries and the polls. 
They knew that municipal government is al\va}'S what the citi- 
zens make it, and if decent, honest citizens are recreant to their 
sacred trust, bad government will result, and, in fact, is only to be 
expected. This has been the history of all legislation from time 
immemorial. If there is ever any improvement in the adminis- 
tration of public affairs it must come from the citizens themselves. 

Influenced by such considerations, young Roosevelt resolved 

29 



30 MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK LEGISLATURE. 

to launch into politics. He had the commendable example of a 
long line of worthy ancestors. They had been powerful factors in 
moulding the commercial and social life of New York. His ideas 
of good citizenship had come to him as a kind of inheritance. He 
did not have to sit down and reason himself into a political career. 
Being a Roosevelt, he was expected, of course, to be public spir- 
ited, and take a constant interest in city affairs and government. 

EVERY MAN SHOULD SHOW HIS COLORS. 

" I have always believed," he has said, describing his entry 
into the political field, " that every man should join a political 
organization and should attend the primaries ; that he should not 
be content to be merely governed, but should do his part of that 
work. So after leaving college I went to the local political head- 
quarters, attended all the meetings, and took my part in whatever 
came up. There arose a revolt against the member of assembly 
from that district, and I was nominated to succeed him, and was 
elected." 

What could be expected of a young man who was but twenty- 
three years old ? Yet he was not held back from active effort by 
what the great English statesman, Pitt, described, in words of 
bitter irony, as " the unpardonable crime of being a young man." 

When the famous Jeremy Taylor went to his bishop to obtain 
orders as a clergyman, the bishop looked at his youthful face and 
figure, shook his head, and said, " You are entirely too young." 
" If the Lord spares my life," quickly responded Taylor, " I will 
remedy that little matter." The reply captivated the bishop and 
carried the day. The callow youth was ordained, and afterward 
became the celebrated Bishop Jeremy Taylor, whose brilliant 
discourses and writings are among the classics of English 
literature. 

There was something about Theodore Roosevelt that indi- 
cated a maturity beyond his years. When he spoke he had some- 
thing to say. When he gave an opinion it appeared to come from 
a well-trained judicial mind. He soon showed himself to be the 
deadly enemy of all political abuses. He was a problem on the 



MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK LEGISLATURE. 31 

hands of men of a different character ; they were puzzled to know 
what to do with him. 

It was in the fall of 1881 that he was elected from the 
Twenty-first district, and he was twice re-elected, serving in the 
legislatures of 1882, 1883 and 1884. This district embraces a 
considerable part of Murray Hill, a locality long noted for its 
aristocracy of wealth, and equally notorious at that time for the 
unprincipled, corrupt and infamous character of the men who rep- 
resented it at Albany. So far as its wealth, intelligence and hon- 
est virtues were represented, it might as well have taken its 
assemblymen from the reeking dregs of the Bowery. 

FIGHTS FOR DECENT GOVERNMENT. 

Here was a chance for Mr. Roosevelt to make a determined 
fight in the interest of decent government, and with coat off and 
sleeves rolled up he went into the contest. He was never dis- 
mayed by anything in the nature of a fight, and his courage was 
equal to the emergency. There was a rattling among the dry- 
bones. A new force was in the field. His weapons were truth, 
honesty, downright denunciation of all corruption, and a rallying 
cry for such a State government as would redeem the great 
metropolis and rescue it from the grip of the plunderers and low 
politicians whose chicanery had made it a hissing and a by-word. 

By dint of hard effort and aided by men who thought and 
felt as he did, he secured the nomination, and as the district was 
republican his election was assured. He was to be a law-makei 
at Albany, representing a constituency that had hitherto paid 
little attention to its own best interests and had become the victim 
of designing men. 

His personal appearance at this time was not such as to give 
promise that he would become a leader in the lower House at 
Albany, or would be anything more than a good, well-meaning 
stripling, but one who could be easily managed and manipulated 
by older men experienced in all the arts of questionable legislation. 

He had a youthful look; he was the youngest member of the 
assembly. He was well dressed and immediately was nicknamed 



3 a MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK LEGISLATURE. 

"Silk Stocking." There was nothing of the swagger and assump- 
tion invariably exhibited by small men "clothed with a little brief 
authority." He was very near-sighted and his eye-glasses gave 
him the appearance of a man of books rather than a man of* 
affairs. What were his conceptions of the duties belonging to pub- 
lic office may be gathered from his own words : 

"The terms 'machine' and 'machine politician' are now 
undoubtedly used ordinarily in a reproachful sense ; but it does 
not follow that this sense is always the right one. On the con- 
trary, the machine is often a very powerful instrument for good ; 
and a machine politician really desirous of doing honest work on 
behalf of the community is fifty times as useful as a philan- 
thropic outsider. In the rough, however, the feeling against 
machine politics and politicians is tolerably well justified by the 
facts, although this statement really reflects most severely upon 
the educated and honest people who largely hold themselves aloof 
from public life and show a curious incapacity for fulfilling their 
public duties. 

" MACHINES" FOR PERSONAL BENEFIT. 

" The organizations that are commonly and distinctly known 
as machines are those belonging to the two great recognized 
parties or to their factional subdivisions; and the reason why the 
word machine has come to be used, to a certain extent, as a term 
of opprobrium is to be found in the fact that these organizations 
are now run by the leaders very largely as business concerns to 
benefit themselves and their followers, with little regard for the 
community at large. This is natural enough. The men having 
the control and doing the work have gradually come to have the 
same feeling about politics that other men have about the business 
of a merchant or manufacturer ; it was too much to expect that if 
left entirely to themselves they would continue disinterestedly to 
work for the benefit of others. 

" Many a machine politician who is to-day a most unwholesome 
influence in our politics is in private life quite as respectable as 
any one else ; only he has forgotten that his business affects the 



MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK LEGISLATURE. 33 

State at large, and regarding it as merely his own private con- 
cern he has carried into it the same selfish spirit that actuates 
in business matters the majority of the average mercantile 
community. 

" A merchant or manufacturer works his business as a rule 
purely for his own benefit, without any regard whatever for the 
community at large. The merchant uses all his influence for a 
low tariff, and the manufacturer is even more strenuously in favor 
of protection — not at all upon any theory of abstract right, but 
because of self-interest. Bach views such a political question as 
the tariff not from the standpoint of how it will affect the nation 
as a whole, but merely from that of how it will affect him personally. 

CONSTANT VIGILANCE NEEDED. 

"If a community were in favor of protection, but neverthe- 
less permitted all the governmental machinery to fall into hands 
of importing merchants, it would be small cause for wonder if the 
latter shaped the laws to suit themselves, and the chief blame, 
after all, would rest with the supine and lethargic majority which 
failed to have enough energy to take charge of their own affairs. 
Our machine politicians in actual life are in just this same way ; 
their actions are very often dictated by selfish motives, with but 
little regard for the people at large, though, like the merchants, 
they often hold a very high standard of honor on certain points ; 
they therefore need to be continually watched and opposed by those 
who wish to see good government. But, after all, it is hardly to 
be wondered at that they abuse power which is allowed to fall into 
their hands owing to the ignorance or timid indifference of those 
who by right should themselves keep it." 

In one of his addresses President Roosevelt had something 
pointed and wholesome to say for the individual, as an individual, 
and also as a member of the body politic with a duty to perform 
to the government which shields him. As usual, the President 
put aside, as did Carlyle, the enervating doctrine that mere per- 
sonal happiness, the primrose path of ease and delight, is a 
worthy aim for strong men of a vigorous race who have done 

3— T.E. 



34 MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK LEGISLATURE. 

things, and in doing the hardest tasks find and should find the 
highest and best satisfaction. Let us not make believe that there 
are no obstacles in the way of life, he says ; "living is fighting" ; 
let us quit ourselves like men, and happiness will follow or not, as 
it may be : 

" For many of us life is going to be very hard. For each 
one of us who does anything it is going to have hard stretches 
in it. Otherwise, men would not do anything. If a man does 
not meet with difficulties, if he does not put himself in a way 
where he has to overcome them, he would not do anything that is 
worthy of being done." 

BROTHERHOOD MUST BE RECOGNIZED. 

Gird yourselves, then, for the work to be done, and Ameri- 
cans will never shirk. Nor does the individual lack vigor ; but 
in the midst of this seething, restless activity huge problems, 
social and industrial, face us that must be solved, and they can 
only be solved by the recognition of the brotherhood of man, in 
which is involved the fact that all the people in the country have 
rights, and all equally have duties. 

Ours, he says, is the best form of government in the world ; but 
it is not automatic. It is adapted only to the highest general level 
of intelligence and education, and to. a moral and highly patriotic 
people, who not only feel their patriotism swelling when the for- 
eign foe threatens, but always have the steady glow of devotion to 
the common weal. If, for instance, employers and workers could 
be got together and made to know each other better, and recog- 
nize the rights the one of the other, industrial war would not be 
frequent. 

" Now, in our life of to-day — in our great complex industrial 
centres — what do we need most ? We need most each to under- 
stand the other's viewpoint — to understand that the other man is 
at bottom like himself. Each of us should understand that, and 
try to approach the subject at issue, or any problem that arises, 
with a firm determination not to be weak or foolish. That is help 
ful to your neighbor." 



MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK LEGISLATURE. 35 

According as we one and all do onr duty by the nation and 
by one another, in the spirit which animated our two great Amer- 
icans, Washington and Lincoln, will this nation, he says, " suc- 
ceed or fall in the century which has opened before us." 

Now this seems to be a sufficiently indefinite and hazy plan 
for the cure of the defects in the body politic and for the preser- 
vation of the republic. Here is no brilliant or striking pro- 
gramme, no patent method ; but in truth there is no patent method 
attainable. Laws and ordinances are all futile if the people be not 
imbued with the spirit of justice. In a frank and direct way the 
President enforced the old lesson that the nation will be just as 
good as the individuals who compose it, and not a whit better. All 
the legislation that the wit of man has conceived never made a 
strong nation, nor ever will. 

CHARACTER IS EVERYTHING. 

It is the fault of the age that too much stress is placed on 
laws or systems or the things which Matthew Arnold called mere 
machinery, while the plain, but too much overlooked, truth 
remains that the character of the individual is the only preserva- 
tive of a people ; that safety depends on character, on devotion to 
those great principles of truth, honor, justice and mercy — " prin- 
ciples against which no argument can be listened to ; principles 
which are the books, the arts, the academies that teach, lift up and 
nourish the world, without which it is better to die than to live ; 
which every servant of God, over every sea and in all lands, 
should cherish." This is the simple doctrine the President would 
teach, and by word and example he furnishes an attractive and 
inspiring spectacle to the country, armed, as we believe he is, in 
simple truth and direct honesty. 

These were the ideas concerning private and public duty that 
controlled and actuated Roosevelt, the young legislator who was 
sent up to Albany to help make laws for the greatest common- 
wealth in the land — and not merely to make laws, but to unmake 
some that had already been made and were known to be vicious 
and unjust, when, at the connivance of public robbers, they were 



36 MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK LEGISLATURE. 

placed on the statute book. It was an inviting field for a young 
reformer, provided he had grit and courage enough to undertake 
such a herculean task. Fortunately, he was not appalled by the 
magnitude of the work to be done. 

What his ideas were, and what were the principles he intended 
to act upon and advocate soon came to be known; men who 
were of his way of thinking, gathered around him, and before the 
first term of the legislature was over he was the recognized leader 
of the minority party in the assembly. . 

VIEWS ON STATE LEGISLATION. 

Mr. Roosevelt is the author of a paper on " Phases of State 
Legislation," in which he has stated clearly some of the views he 
holds on this subject : 

" There are two classes of cases in which corrupt members get 
money. One is when a wealthy corporation buys through some 
measure which will be of great benefit to itself, although perhaps 
an injury to the public at large; the other is when a member 
introduces a bill hostile to some moneyed interest with the 
expectation of being paid to let the matter drop. The latter, 
technically called a 'strike,' is much the more common; for in spite 
of the outcry against them in legislative matters, corporations are 
more often sinned against than sinning. 

"It is difficult for reasons already stated to convict the offend- 
ing member, though we have very good laws against bribery. 
The reform has got to come from the people at large. It will be 
hard to make any great improvement in the character of the leg- 
islators until respectable people become fully awake to their 
duties, and until the newspapers become more truthful and less 
reckless in their statements." 

But "there is a much brighter side to the picture — and this 
is the larger side, too. It would be impossible to get together a 
body of more earnest, upright and disinterested men than the 
band of legislators, largely young men who " (during the three 
years he was in office) " have averted so much evil and accom- 
plished so much good at Albany. This body of legislators who, 



MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK LEGISLATURE. 37 

at any rate, worked honestly for what they thought right, were as 
a whole quite unselfish and were not treated particularly well by 
their constituents. Most of them soon got to realize the fact that 
if they wished to enjoy their brief space of political life they 
would have to make it a rule never to consider, in deciding how 
to vote on any question, how their vote would affect their own 
political prospects. 

VALUE OF THOROUGH ORGANIZATION. 

"Under our form of government, no man can accomplish any- 
thing by himself — he must work in combination with others; 
but there seems often to be a certain lack of the robuster virtues 
in our educated men which makes them shrink from the struggle 
and the inevitable contact with rough politicians (who must often 
be rudely handled before they can be forced to behave), while 
their lack of familiarity with their surroundings causes them to 
lack discrimination between the politicians who are decent and 
those who are not; for in their eyes the two classes, both equally 
unfamiliar, are indistinguishable. 

"Another reason why this class is not of more consequence in 
politics is that it is often really out of sympathy — or, at least, its 
more conspicuous members are — with the feelings and interests of 
the great mass of American people; and it is a discreditable fact 
that it is in this class that what has been most aptly termed the 
' colonial' spirit still survives. From different causes the labor- 
ing classes, even when thoroughly honest at heart, often fail to 
appreciate honesty in their representatives. Thejr are frequently 
not well informed in regard to the character of the latter, and 
they are apt to be led aside by the loud professions of the so-called 
labor reformers who are always promising to procure by legis- 
lation the advantages which can only come to workingmen, or to 
any other men, by their individual or united energy, intelligence 
and forethought. Very much has been accomplished by legisla- 
tion for laboring men by procuring mechanics' lien laws, factory 
laws, etc.; and hence it often comes they think legislation can 
accomplish all things for them." 



38 MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK LEGISLATURE. 

He then goes on to show, as he has done repeatedly in his 
writings and public addresses, that laws are powerless in them- 
selves. They are not automatic. They are only the instruments 
by which the community acts and unless the individual citizen is 
back of them they are utterly worthless. You may legislate 
until doomsday ; you may pile laws as high as the tower of Babel, 
but they are nothing more than useless rubbish unless there is a 
public sentiment that demands their execution and rises in right- 
eous wrath when they are ignored or violated. 

ELECTED AGAIN TO THE LEGISLATURE. 

After Mr. Roosevelt had served one term in the legislature 
his record was so satisfactory that he was re-elected by the 21st 
assembly district. His large majority of 2,219 showed plainly 
what his constituents thought of the upright course he had pur- 
sued and the efficient work he had done. He ran 2,000 votes ahead 
of his ticket, and with this strong endorsement took his seat again 
in the lower house at Albany. His party was now in the major- 
ity and his friends began an active canvass to make him speaker. 
He proved a strong candidate for the nomination, but failed by a 
few votes. 

This was not a cause of regret either to himself or to those 
who had supported him, as it left him free to lead his party on the 
floor and push through certain measures for the public good that 
were urgently needed. His frankness w T as one of his most prom- 
inent traits. If convinced that any bill he had advocated was 
against the true interests of the public or any corporation, he 
yielded promptly, and did it with a grace and readiness that 
elevated him in the esteem of his fellow legislators. • 

In the session of 1883 he began a vigorous warfare against 
the railroad companies, and introduced a bill requiring the New 
York elevated road to reduce its fare from ten cents to five. He 
did this for the purpose of freeing the public, and workingmen 
especially, from what he considered an extortionate fare. The 
bill met with much opposition, but with characteristic energy and 
perseverance he pushed it through and secured its adoption. 



MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK LEGISLATURE 39 

Grover Cleveland was then Governor of New York, and he 
promptly vetoed the bill on the ground that the rate of fare had 
been taken into consideration when the companies asked the 
public to invest their capital, and also on the ground of an implied 
obligation that had arisen between the State and the railroad 
companies when the franchises were granted. These were consid- 
erations that Mr. Roosevelt had overlooked, and he came to believe 
he had been fathering an unjust measure, although his motives 
no one could impugn. The question came up as to whether the 
bill should be passed over the Governor's veto. To the aston- 
ishment of his associates he flatly opposed it, and was now ready 
to kill the very enactment he had urged with so much courage 

and ability. 

A REMARKABLE CONFESSION. 

" I have to say with shame," he began, " that when I voted 
for this bill I did not act as I think I ought to have acted, and as I 
generally have acted on the floor of this House. For the only 
time that I ever voted here contrary to what I think to be hon- 
estly right I did at that time. I have to confess that I weakly 
yielded, partly to a vindictive feeling toward the infernal thieves 
who have that railroad in charge, and partly to the popular voice 
of New York. For the managers of the elevated railroads I have 
as little feeling as any man here, and if it were possible I would 
be willing to pass a bill of attainder against Gould and all of his 
associates. 

"I realize that they have done the most incalculable harm to 
this community — with their hired stock-jobbing newspaper, with 
their corruption of the Judiciary, and with their corruption of this 
House. It is not a question of doing right to them, for they are 
merely common thieves. As to the resolution — a petition handed 
in by the directors of the company — signed by Gould and his son, 
I would pay more attention to a petition signed by Barney Aaron, 
Owen Geoghegan, and Billy McGlory than I would pay to that 
paper, because I regard these men as part of an infinitely danger, 
ous order — the wealthy criminal class." 

The motion to pass the bill over Governor Cleveland's veto 



40 MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK LEGISLATURE. 

was lost, but Roosevelt had scored heavily in the respect and 
esteem of all honest men. He was as ready to admit an error as 
he was to do what he honestly believed to be right. Nor was this 
all. He had coined a phrase — "the wealthy criminal class" — 
that struck the popular heart and further enhanced his popular- 
ity with the plain people. It was a remarkable phrase to be 
uttered by one who was himself a young man of wealth. In this, 
as in many other instances, he showed his well-known habit of 
calling things by their right names, whoever might be hit or 
hurt. 

One of Mr. Roosevelt's biographers furnishes the following 
information concerning his third term at Albany : "After his third 
election in 1884 he introduced the Civil Service law, a bold and 
revolutionary political measure at that time. He worked hard fof 
legislation for the benefit of New York city, and was exceedingly 
active in furthering all philanthropic bills and those measures 
having for their object the interests of the laboring men. He 
was the man who instituted the movement for the abolition of 
tenement-house cigar factories. He was chairman of the noted 
Legislative Investigating Committee, the Roosevelt Committee, 
which brought to light many of the abuses existing in the city 
government at that time." 

HIS OPINION OF THE AVERAGE LAW-MAKER. 

His opinion of the ordinary State legislator is made cleai 
from the succeeding statement : " The worst legislators come 
from the great cities. Among them are a few cultivated and 
scholarly men, but the bulk are foreigners of little or no educa- 
tion. It is their ignorance, quite as much as actual visciousness, 
which makes it so difficult to secure the passage of good laws or 
prevent the passage of bad ones ; and it is the most irritating of 
the many elements with which we have to contend in the fight for 
good government." 

The qualities necessary to success in those legislative battles 
Mr. Roosevelt himself describes as follows : "To get through any 
such measures requires genuine hard work, a certain amount of 



MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK LEGISLATURE. 41 

parliamentary skill, a good deal of tact and conrage, and, above 
all, a thorough knowledge yl the men with whom one has to deal 
and of the motives which actuate them. 

" Legislative life has temptations enough to make it unad- 
visable for any weak man, whether young or old, to enter it. A 
great many men deteriorate very much morally when they go to 
Albany. It will be hard to make any great improvement in the 
character of the legislators until respectable people become more 
fully awake to their duties, and until the newspapers become more 
truthful and less reckless in their statements. The servile tool 
of the 'boss' or the 'machine' in the legislature can rarely be a 
good public servant." 

PLEA FOR HIGH STANDARD OF CITIZENSHIP. 

In the same line of thought is the following extract from a 
speech delivered by Mr. Roosevelt at Hartford, Conn., when he 
visited that city and was welcomed by an enthusiastic throng: 
"Mankind goes ahead but slowly, aud it goes ahead mainly 
through each of us trying to do the best that is in him, and to do 
it in the sanest way. We have founded our republic upon the 
theory that the average man will, as a rule, do the right thing, 
that in the long run the majority are going to decide for what is 
sane aud wholesome. If our fathers were mistaken in that theory, 
if ever things become such — not occasionally but persistently, 
that the mass of the people do what is unwholesome, what is 
wrong, then the republic cannot stand. 

" I care not how good its laws. I care not what marvelous 
mechanism its constitution may embody. Back of the laws, back 
of the administration, back of the system of government, lies the 
man, lies the average manhood of our people, and in the long run 
we are going to go up or go down accordingly as the average 
standard of our citizenship does or does not wax in growth 
and grace. [Great applause.] 

" Now, when we come to the question of good citizenship, the 
first requisite is that the man shall do the homely, every-day, 
humdrum duties well. A man is not a good citizen, I do not care 



42 MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK LEGISLATURE. 

how lofty his thoughts are about citizenship in the abstract, if in 
the concrete his actions do not bear them out; and it does not 
make much difference how high his aspirations for mankind at 
large may be, if he does not behave well in his own family those 
aspirations do not bear visible fruit. He has got to be a good 
bread-winner, he has got to take care of his wife and his children, 
he has got to be a neighbor whom his neighbors can trust. 

" He has got to act squarely in his business relations, he has 
got to do those every-day ordinary things first, or he is not a good 
citizen. But he has got to do more than that. In this country of 
ours the average citizen has got to devote a good deal of thought 
and time to the affairs of the State as a whole or those affairs are 
going to go backward; and he has got to devote that thought and 
that time steadily and intelligently. 

SPASMS IN THE WORK OF REFORM. 

" If there is any one quality that is not admirable, whether in 
a nation or in an individual, it is hysterics, either in religion or 
in anything else. The man or woman who makes up for ten-days' 
indifference to duty by an eleventh-day of morbid repentance 
about that duty is of scant use in the world. [Laughter.] Now 
in the same way it is of no possible use to decline to go through 
all the ordinary duties of citizenship for a long space of time and 
then suddenly to get up and feel very angry about something or 
somebody, not clearly defined in one's mind, and demand reform, 
as if it was a concrete substance to be handed out forthwith." 

It can readily be understood that Mr. Roosevelt had a very 
poor opinion of those New York voters who cried out against the 
evils that afflicted their city, yet did little or nothing to remedy 
them. One day he said to a gentleman, " I suppose you will, of 
course, vote next Tuesday." "I am sorry to say," the man 
replied, " that I have an engagement to go quail-hunting on that 
day." Imagine a man like Roosevelt deliberately setting aside 
the highest duty, the most important function of a citizen, to 
chase quails with a shotgun. The man who would not spend a 
moment's time, or a cent of his money, in the interest of good 



MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK LEGISLATURE. 43 

government was little less than a traitor and was only to be 
despised. 

When Roosevelt began his career at Albany some one sneer- 
ingly remarked that he had "started ont to reform the universe." 
Those who can sneer at the honest efforts of a true reformer are 
not likely to reform anything, but finally disappear from public 
view, leaving behind them only the slimy trail of their own cor- 
ruption and knavery. At Albany Mr. Roosevelt boldly attacked 
public abuses that had been festering for years in the body poli- 
tic. He did not succeed in every instance, but the fault was not 
his. It lay at the door of the tricksters, the men who put them- 
selves up at auction, the party trimmers who were afraid theii 
political interests would be imperilled. 

VICTOR IN A PERSONAL ENCOUNTER. 

Of course, a "Silk Stocking" who believed in good govern- 
ment and upright law-makers encountered opposition and made 
enemies. But he never cherished hard feelings toward any one 
who did not choose to support the measures he advocated. In 
this connection the following incident related by one of his biog- 
raphers will be of interest : 

" It has always been a peculiarity of Mr. Roosevelt's nature 
that he never 'got mad' at people, no matter what the provoca- 
tion. He always remembered faces, and all that had passed in 
his association with a man ; but he never avoided that person, no 
matter what the latter's conduct may have been. In legislative 
life that is an especially valuable trait. He could fight a man 
all day on the floor and then meet him with a laugh and a jest in 
the evening. 

"And so on this night, after a day when he had been a par- 
ticularly sharp thorn in the side of corruption, he moved about, 
the lobby of the old hotel, chatting with friends, tossing a laugh 
and a good-natured thrust at those who had opposed him, and 
treating the whole matter from the standpoint of one who under- 
stands the motives as well as the actions of those with whom he 
is associated. He did not pose. He made no pretense of loftier 



44 MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK LEGISLATURE 

morality than those about him, but let them draw their own con« 
elusions from his conduct. 

"At ten o'clock he started to leave the hotel. On the way 
from the upper portion of the lobby, where he had been chatting 
with fellow members, he passed the door leading to the buffet. 
And from that door, as by a preconcerted signal from the ' honor- 
able men ' with whom he had been associating, came a group of 
fellows, rather noisy, and full of the jostling which follows tarry- 
ing at the wine. The}?- were not a pleasant lot. One in particu- 
lar was a pugilist called 'Stubby' Collins, and this bully bumped 
rather forcibly against Mr. Roosevelt. The latter was alone, but 
he saw in an instant, with the eye of a man accustomed to col- 
lisions, the fact that this little party had waylaid him with a pur- 
pose. He paused, fully on his guard, and then ' Stubby,' with an 
appearance of the greatest indignation, struck at him, demanding 
angrily ' What do you mean, runniug into me that way ? ' 

THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THE SCRIMMAGE. 

" The blow did not land. The men who hired ' Stubby ' had 
not informed him that this young member of the assembly had 
been one of the very best boxers at Harvard, and rather liked a 
fight. They had simply paid the slugger a certain price to ' do 
up ' the man who could not take a hint in any other way. 

" In an instant Mr. Roosevelt had chosen his position. It 
was beyond the group of revellers, and where he could keep both 
them and the more aristocratic party of their employers in view. 
And there, standing quite alone, ' Stubby ' made his rush. In 
half a minute the thug was beaten. He had met far more than 
his match, and the two or three of his friends who tendered their 
assistance were gathering themselves up from the marble floor of 
the lobby and wondering if there had not been a mistake. 

"When it was all over Mr. Roosevelt walked, still smiling, 
down the room, and told the ' honorable ' providers of this combat 
that he understood perfectly their connection with it, and that he 
was greatly obliged to them — he had not enjoyed himself more for 
a year." 



CHAPTER IV 

MR. ROOSEVELT AS A COWBOY AND RANCHMAN. 

Dime Novels — Seeking Romantic Adventures— Emptiness of 
a Life of Mere Sport — Roosevelt Buys a Ranch — Far 
From Civilization — Advantages of Life on the Plains — 
First Appearance at Medora — The Ranch Building; — 
Breaking Wild Horses — Pursuit of Big Game— Thrill- 
ing Adventure with a Grizzly Bear — Frightens a Ruf- 
fian — His Account of a Flock of Wild Geese — Story of 
" Old Ephraim " — Winter Nights at the Ranch. 

IF Theodore Roosevelt, the boy, ever read a dime novel or a story 
of wild western life, no mention has ever been made of it. He 
did not get his love of frontier life from the cheap literature that 
kills bears and Indians on every page. The average boy who 
reads of the burly bandit and desperate outlaw holding up stage- 
coaches and railway trains, is apt to admire such bold deeds and 
imagine himself the hero of similar achievements. He is eager 
to outdo the ruffians whose exploits are all duly chronicled. 

Suddenly the band of desparadoes appears, halts the coach in 
an unfrequented spot, flourishes rifles and revolvers, terrorizes 
the helpless passengers, strips them of their valuables, paralyzes 
by threats all attempts at resistance, and, having secured the 
plunder, purses, watches and jewelry, vanishes from sight, leaving 
the outraged victims to express their thankfulness at having 
escaped with their lives. Stories of this description, dressed 
up in hysterical phrases, form the staple of that vast mass of 
pernicious dime literature which fascinates the youthful reader 
and in many instances turns him into an adventurer and an 
ou+law. 

He is thrilled by the strange, weird, sanguinary tales of 
pioneer life. He craves a career of romantic adventure. He would 
shoot a bear or an Indian ; he would ride a bucking horse on a 
hunting excursion ; perhaps he would become an armed rufhan 

45 



46 MR. ROOSEVELT AS A COWBOY AND RANCHMAN. 

and make his name a terror by robbery and deeds of violence. 
His ambition is to roam the plains, lead the life of a marauder 
and become a freebooter like those whose exploits he has read of 
in books and which he is eager to imitate. 

It was not from such motives or with such intentions that 
young Roosevelt resolved to try the experiences of life on the 
western plains. If the thousand tales of daring feats, bold enter- 
prises and dangerous ventures that are so eagerly read by school- 
boys ever had any charm for him, they certainly did not influence 
his actions in the slightest degree. He had no thought of achiev- 
ing distinction by scalping Indians. But he wanted a ranch in 
the West and secured one in North Dakota during his third term 
at Albany. He was fond of hunting big game. The long 
expedition with his trusty rifle and a few associates or attendants 
was his pastime. 

BOOKS WERE A PART OF HIS OUTFIT. 

Mere sport is commonly an idle thing, a device for whiling 
away time and obtaining a temporary pleasure. Roosevelt had 
no thought of going to the Bad Lands for any such purpose. He 
had other objects in view, and although enjoying the chase as any 
full-blooded man would be apt to enjoy it, he never would have 
ventured into the far West merely for this. He had aims and 
ideals that could not be realized by trout fishing and bear hunt- 
ing. His books went with him, and were as much a part of his 
outfit as his gun and cartridge pouch. 

He felt that vigor of mind and body would result from 
roughing it on his ranch. He would breathe a pure air, drink 
from unpolluted streams, climb steep cliffs and stand on their 
summits in the glow of healthful exercise. The winds would 
bronze his cheek and tougheu his fibre. The weariness of toil 
would bring refreshing sleep ; the silence of the evening camp 
would give him an opportunity to think ; books would be read 
with a keener relish ; the wild horse, spirited and hard to subdue, 
would test his nerve and muscle ; association with the shrewd, 
yet untutored, ranchmen would hold him in contact with common, 



MR. ROOSEVELT AS A COWBOY AND RANCHMAN. 47 

ordinary men ; he would learn much from the rough character!? 
whose names are never written in histories, but who are after all 
heroes in their way. 

Mr. Roosevelt's ranch was a long distance from even the out- 
posts of civilization, six hundred miles from St. Paul, on the 
northwestern border of North Dakota. Nature there is pure and 
unadulterated — no snorting locomotives, no whizzing automobiles, 
no street cars or fashionable promenaders, no demoniac yells from 
brokers on the exchange, no church bells or operatic choirs, and 
no rank odors from gutters and alleys. There is something to be 
said in favor of Dame Nature — dense forests, high bluffs, dark 
ravines, noisy waterfalls, suns that modestly hide their afternoon 
faces behind mountains, birds and animals that fly and roam in 
their native haunts, rivers that sweep on majestically to the sea. 
God made all this. 

ADVANTAGES OF FRONTIER LIFE. 

If Mr. Roosevelt wished to flee to solitude and a retreat from 
all intrusion, he made a good choice of location. The nearest town 
is Medora, eight miles away, so named after the wife of the Mar- 
quis de Mores, who, before her marriage, was the beautiful Miss 
Von Hoffman, of New York. 

In such a region as that, one is not likely to be troubled by 
his neighbors. Many miles intervene between a ranch and the 
one adjoining it. Your business is not interfered with ; there is 
no neighborhood gossip ; reports that have to travel twenty miles 
to find a listener must be pretty robust if they do not die on the 
way. One need not complain of depredations by his neighbors' 
chickens or annoyance from pedlers. 

Out into this remote corner of the Bad Lands Mr. Roosevelt 
went and left the world behind him. He ceased to be a legislator 
that he might become a cowboy. He made as good a cowboy as he 
did assemblyman of the Empire State, determined always to do 
well whatever he undertook. His life on the ranch was not a play- 
spell. He did not ask his men to do what he was not willing to 
do himself, and any one who got an earlier start in the morning 



48 MR. R005EVELT A3 A COWBOY AND RANCHMAN. 

than lie did or worked later at night might have been considered 
a good candidate for rapid promotion. 

When Mr. Roosevelt first appeared at Medora in the early 
eighties he was an object of great curiosity. A central saloon was 
the place of rendezvous for both the respectable people in town and 
those who belonged to that class of adventurers who frequent all 
frontier settlements. They eyed him curiously, wondered who 
he was and what brought him to that place, made side remarks 
about his personal appearance, and did not for a moment class 
him as one of themselves. He was young, rather tall and slim, 
dressed well and had the bearing of a gentleman entirely unused 
to a wild western life. They were figuring how much could be 
made out of him. 

NOT A VICTIM FOR CHEATS AND ROBBERS. 

He was too good a judge of human nature, and too expert in 
handling men, to be made a victim of any set of adventurers how- 
ever shrewd or desparate they might be. As Mr. Roosevelt had 
gone to this locality for buffalo hunting he singled out a guide 
and found his experience of great service. This young fellow, 
named Sylvane Ferris, finally became a sort of companion to his 
employer. He was pleased to learn that the near-sighted sports- 
man from "way down Bast" could walk, ride, climb, shoot and 
rough it equal to any one who had grown up in that region and 
was accustomed to the adventures of life on the plains. 

All tbis was only preliminary to securing a ranch, and com- 
bining sport with profit derived from raising such stock as cattle 
and horses. The ranch building is made of logs, hewn on one 
side for ornament. Some attention had to be paid to looks even 
in that wild country ; no spot on earth can be found where out- 
ward appearances are of no account. There is a long, low veranda 
shaded by thrifty cotton-woods ; a stretch of meadow lies in front 
and this is buttressed by precipitous cliffs. 

The building is a story and a half high. On the ground 
floor is a living room, a library and kitchen. The sleeping apart- 
ments up stairs are of the most primitive kind, and none but cow- 



MR. ROOSEVELT AS A COWBOY AND RANCHMAN. 49 

boys accustomed to sleeping anywhere would be willing to take 
the chances of a night's rest in such rude barracks. In front is 
a horse corral, an enclosure in which to round up horses. This . 
Is built in circular shape to prevent the injury that might follow 
from the animals crowding into corners. 

Mr. Ro >sevelt stocked his ranch with sixty head of wild 
horses. These were all to be broken to bit and bridle. No person 
except a cowboy could fail to have a vision of broken bones, and 
contusions ending in life-long scars and injuries, in view of the 
dangers of the work to be undertaken. Mr. Roosevelt appeared 
to enjoy it, and no one was more willing than he to mount a buck- 
ing mustang that preferred standing on either end to standing on 
all-fours. Once he was thrown by a long-legged, vicious brute 
that went by the name of " Ben Butler," and being too plucky to 
stay thrown he re-mounted and not until some time afterward did 
he disclose the fact that by his fall he had three ribs broken. 

STORY OF HIS "MOST THRILLING MOMENT." 

He could roam to any distance through the Bad Lands and 
pursue big game over a vast territory. The land is government 
land, is unsurveyed and likely to remain so for an indefinite time 
to come. It is fine hunting ground, being well stocked with such 
game as an enthusiastic hunter likes. Mr. Roosevelt occasionally 
had startling adventures while engaged in his favorite sport. 
Once he was in Idaho, was out alone with his gun, and was 
charged upon by a wounded grizzly bear, an animal terribly fero- 
cious when face to face with a foe. We append his graphic 
account of this encounter, which he calls his "most thrilling 
moment :" 

" I held true, aiming behind the shoulder, and my bullet 
shattered the point or lower end of his heart, taking out a big 
nick. Instantly the great bear turned with a harsh roar of fury 
and challenge, blowing the bloody foam from his mouth, so that 
I saw the gleam of his white fangs ; and then he charged straight 
at me, crashing and bounding through the laurel bushes, so that 
it was hard to aim. I waited until he came to a fallen tree, raking 

4— T.R. 



50 MR. ROOSEVELT AS A COWBOY AND RANCHMAN. 

him, as he topped it, with a ball, which entered his chest and went 
throngh the cavity of his body ; bnt he neither swerved nor 
flinched, and at the moment I did not know that I had struck 
him. 

" He cam i steadily on, and in another second was almost upon 
me. I fired for his forehead, but my bullet went low, entering 
his open mouth, smashing his lower jaw and going into the neck. 
I leaped to one side almost as I pulled the trigger ; and through 
the hanging smoke the first thing I saw was his paw, as he made 
a vicious side blow at me. The rush of his charge carried him 
past. 

" As he struck he lurched forward, leaving a pool of bright 
blood where his muzzle hit the ground ; but he recovered himself, 
and made two or three jumps onward, while I hurriedly jammed 
a couple of cartridges into the magazine, my rifle holding only 
four, all of which I had fired. Then he tried to pull up, but as 
he did so his muscles seemed suddenly to give way, his head 
dropped, and he rolled over and over like a shot rabbit. Each of 
my first three bullets had inflicted a mortal wound." 

GOOD MARKSMAN AT RUNNING GAME. 

Mr. Roosevelt has the name of being a good shot, particu- 
larly at running game, although he says his eyesight is too 
defective to admit of his taking first rank in this respect. This 
is what he has to say on this score : 

"I myself am not and never will be more than an ordinary 
shot, for my eyes are bad and my hand not over steady ; yet I have 
killed every kind of game to be found on the plains, partly because 
I have hunted very perseveringly, and partly because by practice 
I have learned to shoot about as well at a wild animal as at a 
target." 

A correspondent of the New York Herald writing from 
Medora, in 1895, tells an incident which is indicative of the mettle 
in the make-up of Mr. Roosevelt. The incident was this : " For a 
long time after he had established his ranches the feeling between 
the outlaw element and the cattlemen ran high. It culminated 



MR. ROOSEVELT AS A COWBOY AND RANCHMAN. 51 

in a meeting, held in a little, unfinished freight shanty at Medora, 
for the purpose of banding the cattle owners together for mutual 
protection. It was openly hinted that a certain deputy sheriff was 
in collusion with the tough element. Not more than a score of 
quiet, determined men made up the meeting. The sheriff was 
present, an interested spectator. 

BOLDLY FACES A DISHONEST SHERIFF. 

"After some preliminary forms of organization, Mr. Roosevelt 
got up and addressed the meeting, or rather, addressed the sheriff. 
Never in the history of the frontier has such a speech been list- 
ened to. He openly accused the sheriff of dishonesty and incom- 
petence, and with the reflected light from the officer's pearl- 
handled revolver at his belt flashing across his gold-rimmed 
glasses, the speaker scored him as a man unworthy and unfit for 
his office. It is one thing to deliver a fiery accusation of general 
or personal charges at a crowded meeting of law-abiding people. 
It is another to coolly stand before a silent handful of frontiersmen 
and openly accuse one of dishonesty. 

" Death stares closely in the face the man who dares attempt 
it, for these men, bred in isolation, are sensitive to the quick os 
their personal honor, and an accusation that would be laughed at 
in Cooper Union would eat out a man's heart here. With down 
cast head the sheriff said never a word, but his prestige was gone 
forever." 

President Roosevelt's hunting experiences were not always 
so dangerous as the one just narrated. While preferring what 
goes by the name of " big game," he was not indifferent to an}- 
beast or fowl. The larger birds often drew shots from his rifle 
and added to his trophies. 

On one occasion he was annoyed by a flock of geese and fur- 
nishes the followiug account of his attack on them : 

" They were clustered on a high sandbar in the middle of the 
river, which here ran in a very wide bed between two low banks. 
The only way to get at them was to crawl along the river-bed 
which was partly dry, using the patches of rushes and the sand 



52 MR. ROOSEVELT AS A COWBOY AND RANCHMAN. 

hillocks and drift-wood to shield myself from their view. As it 
was already late and the snn was just sinking, I hastily retreated 
a few paces, dropped on the bank, and began to creep along on my 
hands and knees through the sand and gravel. Such work is 
always tiresome, and is especially so when done against time. I 
kept in line with a great log washed up on the shore, which was 
some seventy-five yards from the geese. 

A SHOT THAT WENT TO THE MARK 

" On reaching it and looking over, I was annoyed to find that 
in the fading light I could not distinguish the birds clearly enough 
to shoot, as the dark river bank was behind them. I crawled 
ahead quickly. Peeping over the edge I could now see the geese, 
gathered into a clump with their necks held straight out, sharply 
outlined against the horizon ; the sand flats stretching out on 
either side, while the sky above was barred with gray and faint 
crimson. I fired into the thickest of the bunch, and as the rest 
flew off, with discordant clamor, ran forward and picked up my 
victim, a fat young wild goose (or Canada goose), the body badly 
torn by the bullet." 

The President also relates another experience : 

" I had been out after antelopes, starting before there was any 
light in the heavens, and pushing straight out towards the rolling 
prairie. After two or three hours, when the sun was well up, I 
neared where a creek ran in a broad, shallow valle}'. I had seen 
no game, and before coining up to the crest of the divide, beyond 
which lay the creek bottom, I dismounted and crawled up to it, so 
as to see if any animal had come down to drink. 

" Field glasses are almost always carried while hunting on 
the plains, as the distances at which one can see game are so 
enormous. On looking over the crest with the glasses the valley 
of the creek for about a mile was stretched before me. At my 
feet the low hills came closer together than in other places, and 
shelved abruptly down to the bed of the valley, where there was 
a small grove of box-alders and cotton-woods. The beavers had, 
in times gone by, built a large dam at this place across the creek, 



MR, ROOSEVELT AS A COWBOY AND RANCHMAN. 53 

which must have produced a great back-flow and made a regular 
little lake in the times of freshets. 

" But the dam was now broken, and the beavers, or most of 
them, gone, and in the place of the lake was a long, green meadow. 
Glancing towards this my eye was at once caught by a row of white 
objects stretched straight across it, and another look showed me 
that they were snow geese. They were feeding, and were moving 
abreast of one another slowly down the length of the meadow 
towards the end nearest me, where the patch of small trees and 
brushwood lay. A goose is not as big game as an antelope ; still 
I had never shot a snow goose, and we needed fresh meat, so I 
slipped back over the crest and ran down to the bed of the creek, 
round a turn of the hill, where the geese were out of sight. 

GETTING A GOOD POSITION FOR A SHOT. 

"The creek was not an entirely dry one, but there was no 
depth of water in it except in certain deep holes ; elsewhere it was 
a muddy ditch with steep sides, difficult to cross on horseback 
because of the quicksands. I walked up to the trees without any 
special care, as they screened me from view, and looked cautiously 
out from behind them. The geese were acting just as our tame 
geese act in feeding on a common, moving along with their necks 
stretched out before them, nibbling and jerking at the grass as 
they tore it up by mouthfuls. 

"They were very watchful, and one or the other of them had 
its head straight in the air looking sharp^ round all the time. 
Geese will not come near any cover in which foes may be lurking 
if they can help it, and so I feared that they would turn before 
coming near enough to the brush to give me a good shot. I there- 
fore dropped into the bed of the creek, which wound tortuously 
along the side of the meadow, and crept on all fours along one of 
its banks until I came to where it made a loop out towards the 
middle of the bottom. 

" Here there was a tuft of tall grass, which served as a good 
cover, and I stood upright, dropping my hat, and looking through 
between the blades. The geese, still in a row, with several yards' 



54 MR. ROOSEVELT AS A COWBOY AND RANCHMAN. 

interval between each one and his neighbor, were only sixty or 
seventy yards off, still feeding towards me. They came along 
}uite slowl}', and the ones nearest, with habitual suspicion, edged 
i.way from the scattered tufts of grass and weeds which marked 
the brink of the creek. I tried to get two in line, but could not. 
"There was one gander much larger than any other bird in the 
lot, though not the closest to me; as he went by just opposite my 
hiding place, he stopped still, broadside to me, and I aimed just at 
the root of the neck — for he was near enough for any one firing a 
rifle from a rest to hit him about where he pleased. Away flew 
the others, and in a few minutes, I was riding along with the white 
gander dangliug behind my saddle." 

INTERVIEW WITH THE GREAT GRIZZLY OF MONTANA. 

One of the great feats of Mr. Roosevelt with his rifle was in 
nis last interview with Old Bphraim, the Great Grizzly of Mon- 
tana. The bear signs were found in the midst of pine trees, and 
the hunter thus tells the story : 

"The beast's footprints were perfectly plain in the dust, and 
ie had lumbered along up the path until near the middle of the 
hillside, where the ground broke away and there were hollows and 
boulders. Here there had been a windfall, and the dead trees lay 
among the liviug, piled across one another in all directions ; while 
etween and around them sprouted up a thick growth of young 
spruces and other evergreens. The trail turned off into the 
tangled thicket, within which it was almost certain we should find 
our quarry. 

"We could still follow the tracks, by the slight scrapes of 
the claws on the bark, or by the bent and broken twigs ; aud we 
advanced with noiseless caution, slowly climbing over the dead tree 
trunks and upturned stumps, and not letting a branch rustle or 
catch on our clothes. When in the middle of the thicket we crossed 
what was almost a breastwork of fallen logs, and Merrifield, w 7 ho was 
leading, passed by the upright stem of a great pine. As soon as he 
was by it, he sank suddenly on one kuee, turning half round, his 
face fairly aflame with excitement ; and as I strode past him, with 



MR. ROOSEVELT AS A COWBOY AND RANCHMAN. 55 

my rifle at the ready, there, not ten steps off, was the great bear, 
slowly rising from his bed among the great spruces. He had 
heard us, but apparently hardly knew exactly where or what we 
were, for he reared up on his haunches sideways to us. 

"Then he saw us and dropped down again on all fours, the 
shaggy hair on his neck and shoulders seemed to bristle as he 
turned toward us. As he sank down on his forefeet I had raised 
the rifle ; his head was bent slightly down, and when I saw the top 
of the white head fairly between his small, glittering, evil eyes, I 
pulled trigger. Half rising up, the huge beast fell over on his 
side in the death throes, the ball having gone into his brain, strik- 
ing fairly between the eyes, as if the distance had been measured 
by a carpenter's rule. The whole thing was over in twenty sec- 
onds from the time I caught sight of the game ; indeed, it was 
over so quickly that the grizzly did not have time to show fight at 
all or come a step toward us. 

HUGE DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT. 

"It was the first I had ever seen, and I felt not a little proud 
as I stood over the great brindled bulk which lay stretched out 
at length in the cool shade of the evergreens. He was a mon- 
strous fellow, much larger than any I have seen since, whether 
alive or brought in dead by the hunters. As near as we could 
estimate (for of course we had nothing with which to weigh more 
than very small portions) he must have weighed about twelve 
hundred pounds." 

Mr. Roosevelt thus describes his ranch-building: "The story- 
high house of hewn logs is clean and neat, with many rooms, so 
that one can be alone if one wishes to. The nights in summer 
are cool and pleasant, and there are plenty of bear-skins and buffalo 
robes, trophies of our own skill, with which to bid defiance to 
the bitter cold of winter. In summer time we are not much with- 
in doors, for we rise before dawn and work hard enough to be will- 
ing to go to bed soon after nightfall. 

"The long winter evenings are spent sitting round the 
hearthstone, while the pine logs roar and crackle, and the men 



56 MR. ROOSEVELT AS A COWBOY AND RANCHMAN. 

play checkers or chess, in the fire light. The rifles stand in the 
corners of the room or rest across the elk antlers which jut out 
from over the fireplace. From the deer horns ranged along the 
walls, and thrust into the beams and rafters, hang heavy over- 
coats of wolf-skin or coon-skin, and otter fur or beaver fur caps 
and gauntlets. Rough board shelves hold a number of books, 
without which some of the evenings would be long indeed. 

" In the still fall nights, if we lie awake we can listen to the 
clanging cries of the water-fowl, as their flocks speed southward; 
and in cold weather the coyotes occasionally come near enough 
for us to hear their uncanny wailing. The larger wolves, too, 
now and then join in, with a kind of deep, dismal howling; but 
this melancholy sound is more often heard when out camping 
than from the ranch-house. The charm of ranch life comes in its 
freedom, and the vigorous open-air existence it forces a man to 

lead." 

BENEFITS DERIVED FROM RANCH LIFE. 

Mr. Roosevelt smiles when asked about the money he made 
by his cattle ranches. It is certain he did not amass a fortune 
and place himself in such a position that he could retire and live 
on the income of a fortune accumulated on the Western plains. 
Yet it must not be forgotten that he did not go West merely for 
money. Fresh air, outdoor exercise and labor, tough muscles 
and athletic frame, are things that cannot be valued in dollars and 
cents. Ranch life is good for the man who is always going to be 
a ranchman ; it is no less good for the man who is going to be an 
author or statesman. Some grand brain work and some great 
oratorical feats have been performed by men with very muscular 
hands and ruddy faces. 

After Mr. Roosevelt became President, he showed his fond- 
ness for the life of a hunter, and on more than one occasion broke 
loose from his official duties at Washington and fled to the woods 
for game and recreation. A southwestern journal gives the fol- 
lowing account of one of his trips : 

''President Roosevelt will be among the bears this afternoon 
at 4.30, when he reaches Smedes, Miss. A guide employed by 



MR. ROOSEVELT AS A COWBOY AND RANCHMAN. 57 

Stuyvesant Fish, president of the Illinois Central Railway, will 
escort the President into the most likely fastnesses of the cane- 
brake, and the slaughter will begin if bruin appears. The Presi- 
dent hopes that the Mississippi bears will not be as shy as the 
Virginia turkeys. If they are, he will return to Washington 
empty handed. 

" Colonel Roosevelt arrived on his special train and was met 
by Stuyvesant Fish and Lieutenant John McElhenny, formerly 
of the Rough Riders, his fellow hunters. A great crowd greeted 
the President at the station, where a stop was made only long 
enough to attach Mr. Fish's private car. 

GENERAL HAMPTON'S OLD HUNTING GROUND. 

"The place selected for the hunt is some miles from the rail- 
road, and is in the region which was formerly the favorite hunting 
ground of General Wade Hampton, the famous leader of the 
Confederate Black Horse Cavalry. General Hampton at one time 
owned a plantation in this vicinity, and hunted black bear in the 
cane-brakes with horses and hounds. 

"Years ago the President and General Hampton planned a 
hunt in this region, but it was never made, and when Mr. Fish, 
who is president of the Illinois Central, proposed the present trip, 
the President readily assented. 

"To one who has hunted grizzlies in the Rockies, black bear 
are not very big game. But hunting bear with horse and hounds 
will be a new experience for him. If a bear shall not be secured 
it will not be the fault of Mr. Fish. He has arranged to have 
one of the best packs of hounds in the Mississippi delta at the 
camp. 

"The President has with him the hunting outfit used by him 
for many years in his hunting trips after big game in the neigh- 
borhood of his ranch on the Little Missouri, in Dakota, and in 
the mountains of Idaho, Montana and Colorado. It includes a 
fringed buckskin, which is worn by the old wilderness hunter, 
and his favorite Winchester 40-90. With this weapon he has 
killed many of his hunting trophies. It bears the interesting 



58 MR. ROOSEVELT AS A COWBOY AND RANCHMAN. 

scars of one of his battles with a cougar, or mountain lion, in 
Colorado. In closing with a wounded cat, the President thrust 
the stock into his mouth. It shows the teeth marks of the 
enraged animal, and the place where a small piece was literally 
bitten away. 

"His cartridge belt has a hunting knife attached. Most of 
the bullets are soft-nosed, but a few of them are steel jacketed for 
penetrating power in case the President should get a chance for a 
long shot. While thus prepared for wilderness couditions, it is 
not probable that the President will don his buckskin suit unless 
he finds that genuine conditions prevail." 

The President spent several days in pursuit of bears, but the 
animals seemed to know that they were in danger, and were 
uncommonly shy. They even objected to being killed by a presi- 
dent, and Mr. Roosevelt returned to Washington without any bear 
skins. 



CHAPTER V 

MR. ROOSEVELT'S ADVENTURES IN THE WEST. 

Hardships of Frontier Life — Hardy Cowboys — Amusements on 
the Ranch— The Spring and Fall Round-Up — Troubles 
with Wild Herds— Ranch Business on the Wane— Horace 
Greeley's Farm — Adventure With a Buffalo — Story of 
Roosevelt's Bear Hunt in Mississippi — How He Killed an 
Elk — Evening at the Ranch House — Lover of Books — 
Advantages of His Sojourn in Dakota— Study of the 
Indian Question at Short Range. 

THIS great country of ours affords every variety of climate, 
from the mild breezes of the sunny South to the freezing blasts 
of northern New England and the great lakes. Oceans of grain 
on the vast prairies billow away, when stirred by summer winds 
like the waves of a vast sea. A few months later and the prairies 
are swept by wintry storms that threaten destruction to man and 
beast. The rich valleys yield their splendid harvests, the verdure 
disappears and snows, driven by fierce gales, bury out of sight all 
signs of summer's thrift and beauty. 

And even during any one season the fickle climate may play 
pranks entirely unlooked for, and confront the settlers with 
troubles for which little or no provision has been made. All 
guesses and calculations may fail ; unexpected storms may deplete 
the herds, or some subtle disease may break out among the flocks. 

The ranchman knows what to expect. His life is au alterna- 
tion of sweating and shivering, but he becomes indifferent to 
changes of season and weather, and as he endures the heat of 
summer, so he braves the cold of winter. Sometimes a howling 
storm, with sleet and snow, sweeps over the plains ; again the air 
is still, not a breath stirs, but the intense cold, sending the 
thermometer many degrees below zero, pierces like a Damascus 
blade. The clear air and intense cold are not so much dreaded as the 
furious gale, although in either case the man on the plains has a 

59 



60 MR. ROOSEVELT'S ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 

serious Hardship to contend with, and is fortunate if he escapes 
the clutches of the biting frost. 

The cowboy is not supposed to take account of wind or 
weather. Drenched to the skin by an all-day rain, he flings him- 
self at night on his hard couch, complains of no insomnia, rises 
at four in the morning, goes about his business and makes light 
of his hardships. He is seldom the victim of dyspepsia. He 
would be willing to risk the headache that comes from high living 
and abominable diet if he could only get that kind of food. He 
grows hardy, is what you might call "tough," and his powers of 
endurance resemble those of the old-fashioned Indians, who lived 
in their native forests. 

Life on a ranch is not all labor and no play. To be sure, 
the hours are long, the work is often hard, the risks to life and 
limb in breaking wild horses to the bit are many, but the cowboy 
has his sports and pastimes. Any one who can play a fiddle, or 
even a jewsharp, or can sing a song, or, best of all, can dance a 
jig, is a favorite, and can afford an endless amount of amusement. 

LOVER OF HARMLESS AMUSEMENTS. 

Into all these harmless sports Mr. Roosevelt entered with the 
zest and enjoyment of a boy. If there was to be a dance in which 
all the elite from far and near were to appear in their most gen- 
teel apparel (or rather costumes) he was expected to open the 
proceedings and lead the merry-making. Festivities of this 
description were enjoyed by those who participated in them fully 
as much as the " four hundred" ever enjoyed any of their public 
functions. 

Nor let it be supposed that the average cowboy has no sense 
of gentility or propriety. True he can mount a horse with more 
grace than he can bow to a lady ; he can settle disputes without 
sendine his card to the man who has insulted him ; he can cut a 
more attractive figure on his fleet broncho than on the dancing 
floor ; he appears more at ease in his rough riding suit than in 
"best clothes," but there is an honest, generous, considerate side 
to his nature, and, as a rule, he is manly and respectful. His 



MR. ROOSEVELT'S ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 61 

language is not always the most select, and his expletives are 
original and are apt to be sufficiently forcible to express his mean- 
ing ; still he is not dumb to good treatment, and he will respond 
like a man to every manly appeal. 

As Mr. Roosevelt knew the character of the men he had to 
deal with and could adapt himself to all persons and circum. 
stances; he had little difficulty in the management of his ranch. 
Many things required to be done were both dangerous and difficult. 
In his book on " Ranch Life and the Hunting Trail" Mr. Roose- 
velt describes a u round-up." 

The spot where this particular round-up took place was on 
the level bottom of a bend in the river. The wagons were scat- 
tered among the cotton-wood trees along the side of the river, and 
the horses were grazing not far away. In one part of the great 
corral the men w r ere branding calves ; every ranch has its own 
brand or mark and this tells who is the owner. The middle of 
the bottom was filled with a great herd of cattle and noisy cow- 
boys galloping hither and yon on their fractious steeds. 

HOW OWNERS FIND THEIR STOCK. 

" As soon as, or even before, the last circle riders have come 
in and have snatched a few hasty mouthful s to serve as their mid- 
day meal, we begin to work the herd — or herds, if the one herd 
should be of too unwieldly size. The animals are held in a com- 
pact bunch, most of the riders forming a ring outside, while a 
couple from each ranch successively look the herds through and 
cut out those marked with their own brand. To do good work in 
cutting out from a herd, not only should the rider be a good 
horseman, but he should also have a skilful, thoroughly trained 
horse. 

" In cutting out a cow and a calf two men have to work 
together. As the animals of a brand are cut out they are received 
and held apart by some rider detailed for the purpose, who is said 
to be 'holding the cut.' All this time the men holding- the herd 
have their hands full, for some animal is continually trying to 
break out, when the nearest man flies at it at once and soon brings 



62 MR. ROOSEVELT'S ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 

it back to its fellows. As soon as all the cows, calves, and what- 
ever else is being gathered have been cut out the rest are driven 
clear off the ground and turned loose, being headed in the direc- 
tion contrary to that in which we travel on the following day. 
Then the riders surround the next herd, the men holding cuts 
move them up nearer, and the work is begun anew. 

HOW BRANDING IS DONE. 

"As soon as the brands of cattle are worked and the animals 
that are to be driven along are put in the day herd, attention is 
turned to the cows and calves which are already gathered in dif- 
ferent bands, consisting each of all the cows of a certain brand 
and all the calves that are following them. If there is a corral 
^ach band is in turn driven into it ; if there is none a ring of 
riders does duty in its place. A fire is built, the irons heated, and 
a dozen men dismount to, as it is called, 'wrestle' the calves. 
The best two ropers go in on their horses to catch the latter ; one 
man keeps tally, a couple put on the brands, and the others seize, 
throw and hold the little unfortunates. 

" If there are seventy or eighty calves in a corral the scene is 
one of the greatest confusion. The ropers spurring and checking 
the fierce little Texan horses drag the calves up so quickly that a 
dozen men can hardly hold them ; the men with the irons, black- 
ened with soot, run to and fro ; the calf-wrestlers, grimy with 
blood, dust and sweat, work like beavers ; while with the voice of 
a stentor the tally-man shouts out the number and sex of each 
calf. The dust rises in clouds, and the shouts, cheers, curses 
and laughter of the men unite with the lowing of the cows and 
the frantic bleating of the roped calves to make a perfect Babel. 

" Now and then an old cow turns vicious and puts every one 
out of the corral. Or a maverick bull — that is, au unbranded 
bull — a yearling or a two-year old, is caught, thrown and branded; 
when he is let up there is sure to be a fine scatter. Down goes 
"his head, and he bolts at the nearest man who makes out of the 
way at top speed amidst roars of laughter from all of his com- 
panions ; while the men holding down calves swear savagely as 



MR. ROOSEVELT'S ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 63 

they dodge charging mavericks, trampling horses, and tant lariats 
with frantic plunging little beasts at the farther ends." 

The round-up here described is a feature of ranch business 
that tries all the strength and prowess of the men who engage in 
it. An eastern farmer can go into his pastures and find the cattle 
so accustomed to the sight of him and so used to his voice, and 
perhaps his touch, that they do not shun him or make any effort 
to run away. He can call the cows at night and in a few minutes 
see them coming down the lane. In the barnyard they seem 
almost to be a part of the family ; they can be driven anywhere ; 
they do not often jump fences and get lost ; they can be depended 
upon for good intentions and are so domesticated that they give 
little trouble and require little care. 

EASTERN FARMERS AND THEIR HERDS. 

Such animals are well behaved compared with a great herd on 
the ranch. A ranch, from the very nature of the place, demoralizes 
the stock. The animals roam at their own free will; they go and 
come as they please; generally they go but do not come; if you 
want them you must chase them; they have very loose and way- 
ward habits, and you may have to travel many miles before you 
overtake them and make them understand that they are wanted 
for some special occasion. 

The old days of ranching are fast passing and new conditions 
are controlling the business. Yet the time is still distant when 
the vast plains of the West will cease to be the recruiting ground 
for the great droves of cattle needed by Omaha, Kansas City and 
Chicago for supplying the world with food. One would think 
that with such boundless pastures and such a world-wide demand 
the ranchman would easily become a millionaire, but with rare 
exceptions we never hear of the cattle king. We have had min- 
ing kings, lumber kings, merchant princes a ad railroad kings, but 
the multi-millionaire who made his fortune on the ranch is 
yet to be discovered. 

The causes of this have been touched upon frequently by Mr. 
Roosevelt. The wrong man is sometimes on the ranch, a man 



64 MR. ROOSEVELT'S ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 

who has no experience and has not wit enough to gain any. He 
can never know what he has not the faculty of learning. Bad 
management will wreck any business; there are multitudes of men 
who cannot understand why their business is not a success; it 
would be if they themselves were a success. 

To incompetence must sometimes be added inefficiency, lazi- 
ness, lack of energy, and the idea that in some unexplained 
way business will take care of itself, will start at four o'clock in 
the morning and let the man who pretends to carry it on lie abed 
until eight. The ranchman who can never get an early start or 
show that he is wide awake, except when going on a hunting trip, 
is not likely to tell large stories of the amount of money to be 
made on a ranch. 

LOSSES THAT CANNOT BE AVOIDED. 

But the most serious obstacle the ranchman has to contend 
with is the losses to his stock that come from causes over which 
he has no control. He cannot make it rain in summer when fiery 
drouth is burning up the plains. He cannot stay the storm in 
winter that buries the earth in snow from four to ten feet deep. 
He is at the mercy of the elements, and the blasts that sweep 
down from polar realms have no pity on him. 

What, with losses of stock that stray too far to be recovered 
or die from hunger and starvation, the prospects of large gains 
are not unmistakably sure. 

Horace Greeley wrote a book to tell what he knew about 
farming. It was a common remark that the reason why Mr. 
Greeley had a farm was that he had a newspaper. The "Tribune" 
kept the farm going. What the farm did not do for itself was 
done by the famous journal, which some one called the Bible of 
the country people. On this principle any man could have a 
ranch and raise cattle and horses, but Mr. Roosevelt was slow to 
maintain that there was boundless wealth to be gained in the Bad 
J,ands. 

It may be said in a general way that Mr. Roosevelt enjoyed 
His life as a ranchman, and thrived on its rough experiences. 



MR. ROOSEVELT'S ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 65 

When not fully occupied with the management of his business, 
he was ready for the adventures that always fall to the lot of the 
hunter. Reference has already been made to Ferris, his guide, 
who accompanied him usually on his trips in pursuit of game. 
When Roosevelt first went to Dakota, buffalo hunting had about 
ceased. This animal had had his day, and was only occasionally 
to be met with. Ferris thus describes one of their first excursions : 

" It meant hard work to get a buffalo at that time, and whether 
the thin young man could stand the trip was a question, but 
Roosevelt was on horseback and he rode better than I did, and 
could stand just as much knocking about as I could. 

" On the first night out, when we were twenty-five or thirty 
miles from a settlement, we went into camp on the open prairie, 
with our saddle blankets over us, our horses picketed and the 
picket ropes tied about the horns of our saddles, which we used 
for pillows. In the middle of the night there was a rush, our 
pillows were swept from under our heads and our horses went 
tearing off over the prairie, frightened by wolves. 

OVERTAKES A HUGE BUFFALO. 

" Roosevelt was up and off in a minute after the horses. 
" On the fourth or fifth day out, I think it was, our horses 
pricked up their ears and I told Roosevelt there was a buffalo close 
at hand. We dismounted and advanced to a big ' washout ' near, 
peered over its edge, and there stood a huge buffalo bull, calmly 
feeding and unaware of our presence. 

" ' Hit him where that patch of red shows on his side,' said I, 
'and you've got him.' 

" Roosevelt was cool as a cucumber, took a careful aim and 
fired. Out came the buffalo from the 'washout,' with blood pour- 
ing from his mouth and nose. ' You've shot him,' I shouted, and 
so it proved, for the buffalo plunged a few steps and fell." 

One of the early and useful friends of Roosevelt in the Wild 
West among the Rough Riders, was Colonel Cody, the famous 
Buffalo Bill, and many a wild ride they had. One of the most 
fearless and tireless of riders, Roosevelt was never fond of break- 

5— T.R. 



66 



MR. ROOSEVELT S ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 



ing the bucking bronchos, as seen in the shows of his friend on 
horseback. There were better ways of expending strength, and 
his plan of life was the useful investment of all his resources. 

He went into the cattle business, and started with five hun- 
dred steers, and his guide remarks: " He worked for a part of a 
season as a cowboy. He had his own ' string ' of horses, and they 
were as ugly and ill-tempered as the majority of cow horses. He 
was not a broncho-breaker, as he has been pictured to be, and he 
took no unnecessary chances in mounting or endeavoring to tame 
an especially ugly horse. But he did not shrink from riding his 
own horses when they cut up the customary capers of mustangs, 
and although he was sometimes thrown, and on one or two occa- 
sions pretty badly bruised and hurt, he stuck to his mounts until 
he had mastered them." 

ROOSEVELT IN PURSUIT OF BEARS. 

It will not be amiss in this connection to furnish the reader 
with an amusing account of one of Mr. Roosevelt's more recent 
hunting trips in pursuit of bears. The account emanated from 
Smedes, Miss., to which locality the President went to enjoy a few 
days in the woods. 

" Ho" Collier, the veteran negro swamp guide and bear hunter, 
related the full story of his four days' experience with President 
Roosevelt. " Ho" was busily engaged in getting the horses, dogs 
and hunting outfit aboard a car on the siding at Smedes, to be 
taken back to his home at Greenville. 

Holt Collier is one of the conspicuous figures in the Missis- 
sippi delta. His skill with his rifle and his constant attention to 
the 1 rail for the past forty years have made him perfectly familiar 
with the ins and outs of the woods and every foot of the delta soil 
from Vicksburg to Memphis. He was President Roosevelt's 
personal guide throughout the hunt. Here is his story— the first 
detailed story of the hunt yet told: 

" I know all those gent'men in de party has had a mighty 
fine time, and as for de President, I never seen a man in all my 
times of hunting in dese woods what 'joyed a hunt like he did. 



MR. ROOSEVELT'S ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 67 

He was jes' as happy as a schoolboy, and lie certainly is a dead- 
game sport. 

11 We started out Thursday, and it took us 'bout till dark to 
get in camp and get settled good. So on Friday morning, 'fore 
we started out, Mr. Roosevelt said he was awful anxious to 
kill a b'ar. 

" So when he said dat, I told him dat I was determined for 
him to get dat chance, and if I had to run a b'ar down and tie him 
I would see dat he got a chance to get a shot. 

"Of course de party all scattered, and we begins to hunt, and 
somehow I felt like I was a-going to get a big one up, and sho' 
nuff, I wasn't wrong, 'cause dat b'ar we first started was de biggest 
he b'ar I ever see or heard tell of for a long time. 

" He was a hard one to run dowu, too. I am here to tell yo' 

and when I heerd dat rascal breaking through de cane and my 

dogs hot after him I knew I was a-going to get close after him. I 

was anxious for some one to ride around and get the President to 

follow in with us, as I kept on feeling dat he could get a big b'ar 

'fore long. 

TRYING TO FIND THE PRESIDENT. 

" Whar was de President? Why, Lordy, chile, he was a 
snooking 'round on his own hook in de jungle. Dat man wouldn't 
be tied to nobody. I done make a terrible noise, so he'd come 
whar de b'ar war, but whar wuz he ? 

" When my dogs did run dat b'ar down he went down in a 
mud hole, and it was kinder thick and hard to get at, so I stood 
round and didn't shoot, case I wanted ' the Colonel' to hurry up 
and come in behind me so he could kill the first one. 

" I tried my best to get dat big b'ar to tree, but he wouldn't, 
so I thought he was jes' going to get the best of my pack, so I hit 
him with the butt of my gun and then throwed my lassoo 'bout his 
neck and made him fast to a wilier tree. 

"Then they done got de President, and den when he come 
up, I says, ' Shoot de b'ar, Colonel, he's tied!' 

" 'Scuse me, ' sez Colonel Roosevelt, laffan at de b'ar all tied 
up dar nice and snug, "Scuse me,' sez he, ' dat's too easy. ' 



fi8 MR. ROOSEVELT S ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 

" De President was sholy sort of contempuse wid de situation, 
and I feels more liken a mule dan a hunter. 

" De President said sumpin', I spect it war from de Bible, 
'bout it ain't no use slayin' de helpless. Dere I wuz wif my b'ar 
done tied up, and I think mighty fast to get out of dat fix. 

" * Stick him, ' sez I to Massa Parker, and den I showed him 
how to do de trick. I tell you, my honey, dat big rascal didn't 
las' much longer after dat knife went into him. 

" I say, Colonel, you watch me close an' you sholy gits a b'ar. 
Den he lafs and sez, ' All right. Ho, I'll keep an eye onto you.' 

"We didn't do no huntin' on Sunday, 'ca'se all of us is 
'ligious. It was awful quiet in de camp, as we wus all meditatin' 
on de foolishness of life and eatin.' I saw de President mos' every 
minute, and I do say dat he showed himself to be such a fine, good 
gentleman dat I was always admirin' of him. 

GRANDER THAN A WHITE HOUSE DINNER. 

11 1 tell you we done had a grand dinner, such like de}' couldn't 
possibly have at de White House. How could dey git 'possum 
and b'ar, which we had wif sweet 'taters dat melt in de President's 
mouf and inak' him look so happy dat he had a good appetite ? 
Den we had turkey gobbler, and dis nigger too perlite to say dat 
he eat more dan de President. It done mak's me hungry ag'iu 
when I looks back on dat dinner. 

" De President says befoah dinner dat he wants to go on a 
little stroll in de woods. Den one of de gentlemen sez to de Presi- 
dent : ' Mistoo President, why doan you take you gun wid you ?' 

"De President he shakes his head an' walks away. He say : 
' No; I ain't been alone since a long time gone, an' I'se goin' be 
alone for a little while now.' 

" I seed what he done. He goes off an' sits down by de crick, 
an' looks into de water an' at de woods. Spec' he was thinkin,' 
too, but I couldn't tell. Den he gits up an' comes in an' settles 
down to business a-eatin' of de 'possum an' de b'ar an' de taters 
an' de gobbler, an' looks like he was wholly happy. 

"De President cheer me up, an' de rest, too. He tells me, 



MR. ROOSEVELT'S ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 69 

just like it was nuffin', 'bout some mighty fine hunts he done had 
over in de Rockies, 'bout shootin' lions and moose. He say he 
had some mighty good times, 'but Ho! ' he say, ( I gwine tell dat 
he ain' never had no nicer time anywhere den right here in dese 
Misippy woods.' Pat's de very words de Colonel sez to me. 

" Den he talked to de gentlemen 'bout various things, but I 
ain't gwine tell you dat, 'case we was talkin' private. 

" De same hoodoo was on us de third day, but I done feel 
sure de President gits a shot at a b'ar. He sholy did nearly git 
one dat he chased all de way from 8 to 3 o'clock. 

" Den what you think dat scoun'rel b'ar do? He breaks 
away from de dogs and goes whoppin' acrost a ribber, and Ho 
knows he is done gone for good. Den I tole de gentlemen dere 
wan't no use goin' no furder. 

CAMP A DELIGHTFUL PLACE. 

" I spec,' sez de President, laffiin', ' dat we ain't goin' git no 
b'ar dis trip.' 

" De President he took de skull of the big b'ar dat Mister 
Parker stick, and he say dat he take dat skull home to keep. 
When we gets ready to leave de camp de President was de most 
jolly of all de gentlemen. Dey all say we hates to leave his 
camp and de President say it was a d-e-l-i-g-h-t-f-u-1 place, jes' 
like dat. 

" Every people 'round here jes' like dat Colonel Roosevelt 
first class. He talk wif all de folks at Smedes Station, and maiks 
'em his good friends. 

" De ride from de camp to Smedes was de grandest dat I ever 
seen down hyar. Colonel Roosevelt dashed off in de lead, and I 
am hyar to tell you dat he set a hot pace for dem odder gentlemen. 
We made de whole trip 'round de woods in jes' forty minutes, as 
we stopped three minutes at Jackson's. 

"I wants to tell you dat I hated mightily to see de President 
go 'way, and so did all de odders down hyar. I kin only say dat 
he's the finest No'the'n gentleman I ever met." 

Ho said that he had lost only two of his hunting dogs, but 



70 MR. ROOSEVELT S ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 

added mournfully that Old Remus, his champion dog, was "all 
swole up wid de dropsy," and probably would not live long. 

Collier is known from Memphis to New Orleans for his 
trustworthiness. He was born in Jefferson county, three miles 
from Fayette, and when he grew up, during the Civil War, he was 
a slave, owned by Howell Hines, a prominent man of the South in 
those times. 

Collier's grandfather, Harrison Collier, went to the battle 
of New Orleans with General Jackson and Thomas Hines. 

Holt was only thirteen years of age when he killed his 
first bear, while he and his master were out on a hunt in the same 
region where the President went for game. 

CAPTURE OF A BIG ELK. 

Mr. Roosevelt narrates the killing of an elk near his ranch, 
"probably the last of his race that will ever be found in our neigh- 
borhood. It was just before the fall round-up. An old hunter, 
who was under some obligation to me, told me that he had shot a 
cow elk and had seen the tracks of one or two others not more 
than twenty- five miles off, in a place where the cattle rarely wan- 
dered. Such a chance was not to be neglected ; and, on the first 
free day, one or my Elk-horn foremen, Will Dow by name, and 
myself, took our hunting horses and started off, accompanied by 
the ranch wagon, in the direction of the probable haunts of the 
doomed deer. 

" Towards nightfall we struck a deep spring pool, near by the 
remains of an old Indian encampment. It was at the head of a 
great basin, several miles across, in which we believed the game 
to lie. The wagon was halted and we pitched camp ; there was 
plenty of dead wood, and soon the venison steaks were broiling 
over the coals raked from beneath the crackling cotton-wood logs, 
while in the narrow valley the ponies grazed almost within the 
circle of the flickering fire-light. It was in the cool and pleasant 
month of September; and long after going to bed we lay awake 
under the blankets watching the stars that on clear nights always 
shine with such intense brightness over the lonely Western plains. 



MR. ROOSEVELT'S ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 71 

" We were up and off by the gray in the morning. It was a 
beautiful hunting day ; the sundogs hung in the red dawn ; the 
wind hardly stirred over the crisp grass ; and though the sky was 
cloudless yet the weather had that queer, smoky, hazy look that 
it is most apt to take on during the time of the Indian summer. 
From a high spur of the table-land we looked out far and wide 
over a great stretch of broken country, the brown of whose hills 
and valleys was varied everywhere by patches of dull red and 
vivid yellow, tokens that the trees were already putting on the 
dress with which they greet the mortal ripening of the year. 

THE GAME SIGHTED AT LAST. 

"The deep and narrow but smooth ravines running up 
towards the edges of the plateaus were heavily wooded, the bright 
green tree-tops rising to a height they rarely reach in the barren 
plains-country ; and the rocky sides of the sheer gorges were 
clad with a thick growth of dwarfed cedars, while here and there 
the trailing Virginia creepers burned crimson among their som- 
bre masses. 

" We hunted stealthily up-wind, across the line of the heavily 
timbered coulisse. We soon saw traces of our quarry ; old tracks 
at first, and then the fresh footprints of a single elk — a bull, 
judging by the size — which had come down to drink at a miry 
alkali pool, its feet slipping so as to leave the marks of the false 
hoofs in the soft soil. We hunted with painstaking and noiseless 
care for many hours ; at last as I led old Manitou up to look over 
the edge of a narrow ravine, there was a crash and movement in 
the timber below me, and immediately afterwards I caught a 
glimpse of a great bull elk trotting up through the young trees 
as he gallantly breasted the steep hill-side opposite. 

" When clear of the woods, and directly across the valley from 
me, he stopped and turned half round, throwing his head in the air 
to gaze for a moment at the intruder. My bullet struck too far 
back, but, nevertheless, made a deadly wound, and the elk went 
over the crest of the hill at a wild, plunging gallop. We followed 
the bloody trail for a quarter of a mile, and found him dead in a 



72 MR. ROOSEVELT'S ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 

thicket. Though of large size, he yet had but small antlers, with 
few points." 

There is an old Latin saying that "they do not change their 
characters who change their skies." To put it tersely, a man takes 
himself with him wherever he goes. When he crosses a river or 
a State line he does not leave behind him any of his personal 
traits. Mr. Roosevelt in the Bad Lands was in nowise different 
from what he had been in the Bast, the only modification being 
such as naturally grew out of new surroundings. His scholarly 
tendencies might have seemed grotesque on a ranch among cow- 
boys and hunters, but he could not leave one Roosevelt in New 
York and develop another and different Roosevelt in the West. 

KEEPS CLOSE COMPANY WITH BOOKS. 

Having been a man of books he could not obliterate his per- 
sonality and suddenly become a man of cattle and horses. The 
books must come in somewhere. To him there was nothing 
incompatible between hunting bears and antelope and hunting 
gems in the English classics. Books were his companions ; while 
he communed with steep buttes, wild canyons and boundless 
prairies, he kept company with great minds and made friends of 
their brilliant thoughts. There was no daily mail ; the letter 
carrier might not arrive oftner than once a week, but his coming 
was an advent, for he was sure to bring letters from prominent 
men and the latest and best issues of the publishers. 

"Rough board shelves," says Mr. Roosevelt, in his charming 
"Hunting Trips of a Ranchman," "hold a number of books 
without which some of the evenings would be long indeed. No 
ranchman who loves sport " — and nearly every one of them does — 
"can afford to be without Van Dyke's 'Still Hunter,' Dodge's 
'Plains of the Great West,' or Caton's 'Deer and Antelope of 
America' ; and Cones's 'Birds of the Northwest' will be valued 
if he cares at all for natural history. As for Irving, Hawthorne, 
Cooper, Lowell and the other standbys, I suppose no man, either 
East or West, would willingly be long without them. And for 
lighter reading there are dreamy Ik Marvel, Burroughs' breezy 



MR. ROOSEVELT'S ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 73 

pages, and the quaint, pathetic character sketches of the Southern 
writers, Cable, Craddock, Macon, Joel Chandler Harris, and sweet 
Sherwood Bonner. And when one is in the Bad Lands, he feels 
as if they somehow look just exactly as Poe's tales and poems 
sound." 

Probably no other ranchman in all the Northwest had a stock 
of belongings similar to Roosevelt's. College bred men are not 
often found in the Bad Lands ; they prefer to exhibit their culture 
in communities nearer the great centres of civilization and refine- 
ment. No one would be likely to obtain a university education 
to enable him to raise cattle and tame wild mustangs. Roosevelt, 
the educated cowboy, required the fellowship of books. 

RECREATION AFTER THE DAY'S LABORS. 

Imagine him, after a hard day's work of riding, hunting or 
rounding up his herds, seated in his rude yet picturesque apart- 
ment at night, eagerly perusing some historical work or volume 
of poems, magazine of current literature, or treatise on the 
animals of our hemisphere. Silence that is unbroken favors his 
studious frame of mind, and with evident relish he turns the pages 
until the fatigues of the day and the lateness of the hour furnish 
suggestions of sleep and the rest that comes as a blessed compen- 
sation to honest toil. 

It is not difficult to sum up the advantages derived by Mr. 
Roosevelt from his sojourn in Dakota. He became imbued with 
the Western spirit. It is the spirit that knows nothing about red 
tape. It goes ahead and does things. There is a freedom about 
the great West that is the forerunner of achievement. Men do 
not grow old discussing how things should be done. Before you 
are aware of what is going on the thing is accomplished. 

Somewhat of that go-ahead, impetuous spirit manifested by 
Mr. Roosevelt appears to have been imbibed from his life on the 
ranch. And this disposition is one secret of his wonderful popu- 
larity in the Western States. He is a man after their own heart, 
a man the people can understand and with whom they are in per- 
fect sympathy. He never imagined when he went West that he 



74 MR. ROOSEVELT'S ADVENTURES IN THE FAR WEST. 

was taking a step which would qualify him so effectually for the 
office he now occupies, one that cannot in any sense be limited to 
any one section of the country. A President should be so consti- 
tuted that he can be in close touch with all parts of the Union. 

It is but natural that Mr. Roosevelt's most devoted followers 
and friends should be found among the breezy spirits of the great 
West. When he called for a regiment of Rough Riders at the 
outbreak of our war with Spain, it was easy enough to enlist the 
men ; Roosevelt was to be the lieutenant colonel. 

It is further to be noted that his western life gave him much 
information on the Indian problem, and furnished him materials 
for thoroughly investigating this question and reaching an intelli- 
gent conclusion. 

EQUAL RIGHTS AND JUSTICE TO ALL. 

The white men had as good a claim to land as the Indians, 
for it was government land, and by the Homestead Law any set- 
tler could secure 160 acres and along with it a valid title. There 
was no good reason why an Indian should lay claim to a whole 
county, compared with the size of which the white man's farm 
was nothing more than an Irishman's garden patch. 

In his usual vigorous way Mr. Roosevelt says : "The Indians 
should be treated in just the same way that we treat the white 
settlers. Give each his claim to a quarter-section. If, as gen- 
erally happens, he should decline this, then let him share the fate 
of the thousands of white hunters who have lived on the game 
that the settlement of the country has exterminated, and let him, 
like these whites who will not work, perish from the face of the 
earth which he encumbers. 

" The doctrine seems merciless, and so it is. But it is just 
and rational, for all that. It does not do to be too merciful to the 
few at the cost of justice to the many. The cattlemen at least 
Keep herds and build houses on the land. Yet I would not for a 
moment debar settlers from the right of entry to the cattle country 
though their coming in means the destruction of us and our 
industry." 



CHAPTER VI 

A MASTERLY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. 

Roosevelt's Naval History — Appointed Assistant Secretary 
of the Navy — Excitement in the Navy Department — 
Predicted That There Would Be War With Spain — Vigor- 
ous Preparations for the Conflict — Gun Practice 
Required — Call for Large Appropriations — Virtually 
at the Head of the Department — A Remarkable Speech. 
Choice of Dewey for Commander of Pacific Squadron 
Spain's Infamous Rule in Cuba — Blowing up of the 
"Maine" — Orders Sent to Dewey — Roosevelt's Resigna- 
tion to Recruit the Rough Riders. 

MR. ROOSEVELT had already written and published his 
"Naval History of the War of 1812." W r hen first 
announced it was supposed this history would be nothing more 
than a rehash of histories already written on the American Navy, 
or such a work as would merely satisfy the ambition for authorship 
of a young man not long out of college. 

No one imagined that it would contribute very much to 
the knowledge already in the possession of the public. The 
style might be new, the way of putting things might have some 
little merit, but it was thought the subject matter would not com- 
mend the work to critics or scholars. It would be thrown, like a 
thousand other works, into the world of books and left to its fate. 

But this naval history soon gave evidence that it was capable 
of taking care of itself. It was an exhaustive work ; it had all 
the marks of profound research and careful preparation; its style 
was picturesque, vigorous and attractive ; its accuracy was con- 
firmed by references of undoubted authority ; it was plain that 
it was destined to take high rank as a standard history on the 
brilliant achievements of our navy. It soon found its way into 
the Navy Department at Washington, and its undoubted merit 
was fully recognized. 

75 



76 A MASTERLY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. 

Mr. Roosevelt showed himself to be a thorough master of his 
subject; he was making a valuable contribution to our historical 
literature, and at the same time was establishing his reputation as 
an expert in all naval matters. 

It was but natural, therefore, that when President McKiriley, 
in 1897, wanted an Assistant Secretary of the Navy to act in con- 
junction with Secretary John D. Long, Mr. Roosevelt should 
receive the appointment. He was eminently fitted for the 
place. His whole political career had marked him as an unique 
man. His record was without a stain. He enjoyed the absolute 
confidence of the great majority of his countrymen — all, in fact, 
except the New York politicians, whose nefarious schemes and 
practices he had fought with so much courage and success. He 
went to Washington carrying with him the same purposes and 
high ideals that had distinguished him in his whole previous 
career. 

CONSTERNATION IN THE DEPARTMENT. 

When it became known that he was to be the Assistant Secre- 
tary of the Navy the subordinates in the department were filled 
with apprehensions that amounted almost to alarm. They expected 
his advent would be somewhat like that of a bull in a china 
shop. They had heard of his firm dealing with the New York 
police ; they knew much of his prominent characteristics and 
resolute methods, and wondered if he were not an Elijah who 
had come to trouble Israel. 

" Many were the conjectures," writes Judge Advocate General 
Samuel C. Lemly of the Navy, "as to what course the new 
appointee would pursue in the Navy Department, for his reputa- 
tion as a reformer was both great and widespread, and, in truth, 
none of us was ready to admit the need for his own reformation. 
Moreover, Mr. Roosevelt had never served in a subordinate capac- 
ity. How, then, would he drop into such a position ? Could he 
follow and assist as well as lead and command ? I recall distinctly 
that, thanks to the vigilance of our librarian, copies of the various 
books which the new appointee had written suddenly appeared in 
the Navy Department Library, and there was such a demand for 



A MASTERLY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. 77 

these books that I had to wait until my senior officers had read 
before I could even have so much as a look at them. 

" Although necessarily new to naval methods and administra- 
tion, Mr. Roosevelt had long been a student of naval matters, 
historical and otherwise. I for one soon found that he possessed 
— having a most retentive memory — a very remarkable knowl- 
edge of the technique of the new navy, and I was in consequence 
constantly surprised at his off-hand but invariably correct state- 
ment of the batteries, horsepower, speed, thickness of armor, and 
characteristics of our own and foreign naval vessels recently built, 
as well as those under construction." 

CAPACITY FOR WORK AND MASTERY. 

It was soon found that the new Secretary had neither horns 
nor hoofs. He was just an ordinary man, with a capacity for 
work and for mastery of details that singled him out as one who 
stood in a class by himself. His rule had always been to work 
hard when he worked, and play hard when he played. It was 
soon evident that he was not in the Navy Department for recrea- 
tion. Under his magic touch every nerve in the place grew tense. 
The department was so well organized that he had little to do 
except to keep the machinery in motion and impart to it a new 
impulse. 

He did not have a very exalted opinion of the American 
navy as compared with the other navies the world, although we 
had some good battleships. As to the rest, we had a lot of vener- 
able tubs that were good enough in time of peace, but would 
be naval absurdities in time of war. The excuse was that we 
were not a warlike nation, never made any great account of our 
land and naval forces, and had no idea we would be involved in war 
with any foreign power. But now there were clouds on the 
horizon ; trouble was brewing with Spain ; we might need some- 
thing besides respectable tubs on the ocean. It would be a poor 
time to create a navy after a declaration of war. 

The Assistant Secretary, while on a visit of inspection to the 
Naval Academy at Annapolis, addressed a class of naval cadets on 



78 A MASTERLY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. 

Washington's forgotten maxim : "To be prepared for war is the 
most effectual means to promote peace." He argued in this 
address, not that we were preparing for war, but that preparation 
for war was the surest guaranty for peace. He believed that 
arbitration was an excellent thing, but that ultimately to have 
this country at peace with foreign nations was to place reliance 
upon a first-class fleet of first-class battleships, rather than upon 
any arbitration treaty man could devise. 

IGNOBLE PEACE WORSE THAN WAR. 

" We but keep to the traditions of Washington," said Mr. 
Roosevelt, " to the traditions of all great Americans who struggled 
for the real greatness of America, when we strive to build up those 
fighting qualities for the lack of which in a nation, as in an indi- 
vidual, no refinement, no culture, no wealth, no material prosperity, 
can atone. While we are sincere and earnest in our advocacy of 
peace, we must not forget that an ignoble peace is worse than any 
war. We should engrave in our legislative halls those splendid 
lines of Lowell : 

' ' ' Come, Peace ! not like a mourner bowed 
For honor lost and dear ones wasted, 
But proud, to meet a people proud, 
With eyes that tell of triumph tasted !' 

" All the great masterful races have been fighting races. 
Cowardice in a race, as in an individual, is the unpardonable sin. 
The timid man cannot fight, or the selfish, short-sighted, or foolish 
man who will not take the steps that will enable him to fight, 
stand on almost the same plane." 

A year before our war with Spain broke out Mr. Roosevelt 
made the following significant statements : 

'' The enemies we may have to face will come from over the sea ; 
they may come from Europe, or they may come from Asia. 
Events move fast in the West ; but this generation has been 
forced to see that they move even faster in the oldest East. Our 
interests are as great in the Pacific as in the Atlantic, in the 
Hawaiian Islands as in the West Indies. Merely for the protec- 



A MASTERLY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. 79 

tion of our own shores, we need a great navy; and what is more, 
we need it to protect our interests in the islands from which it is 
possible to command our shores and to protect our commerce on 
the high seas." 

Mr. Roosevelt studied the needs of our navy in the possible 
event of war. Practice — thorough practice behind the guns — he 
declared to be iudispensable. Men should learn how to shoot, and 
only actual practice could teach them this. He began to buy 
guns and ammunition, and all that was needed to fully equip our 
warships. Repairs on old vessels went on while work was being 
done on the new. He laid in large supplies of coal at every naval 
supply station. He ordered every ship's crew recruited to its full 
strength. 

" We shall be compelled to fight Spain within a year," he 
said to a friend months before the cruiser " Maine " was blown up 
in Havana harbor. 

"In ordinary routine matters," he said, "if a man does 
ordinarily well I am satisfied, but if he doesn't do the work of 
importance in the navy with the snap and vigor I believe is 
necessary, I'll pinch him till he squeals." 

SAW THE STORM OF WAR APPROACHING. 

This is evidence that he had a presentiment of coming trouble 
and believed the time was at hand for rapid work and thorough 
preparation. There could be no shirking now - , no easy-going, slip- 
shod way of administering the naval affairs of the nation. He 
was not a mere figurehead himself, and he -wanted no figureheads 
around him. For the battleships he wanted the best crews that 
could be obtained, and these must be thoroughly drilled up to the 
point of the greatest efficiency. 

"It is useless," he said, "to spend millions of dollars in 
building perfect fighting machines unless we make the personnel 
which is to handle these machines equally perfect. We have an 
excellent navy now, but we never can afford to relax our efforts to 
make it better still. Next time we may have to face some enemy 
far more formidable than Spain. In my j udgment, the personnel 



80 A MASTERLY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. 

bill will markedly increase the efficiency of our already efficient 
officers." 

A story is related that shows what Mr. Roosevelt considered 
to be the real needs of the navy. Shortly after his appointment 
he asked for an appropriation of $800,000 for the purchase of ammu- 
nition. It was granted, and a few months later he asked for 
another appropriation of $500,000 for the same purpose. When 
asked what had become of the first appropriation, he replied : 
"Every cent of it has been spent for powder and shot, and every 
bit of powder and shot has been fired." When he was asked what 
he would do with the additional $500,000, he replied: "Use every 
dollar of that, too, within the next thirty days in practice 

shooting." 

PLANS FOR INCREASING THE NAVY. 

It is but fair to say that in all Mr. Roosevelt planned, all the 
measures adopted to increase the efficiency of our navy, and in all 
the changes he adopted to better the service, he was ably seconded 
by the majority of our naval officers. They, more than others, saw 
the necessity for doing the work he had so resolutely undertaken, 
and being loyal, brave and competent, they took pride in the 
adoption of the most energetic means for accomplishing the 
desired result. And, below the officers, every man could be 
depended upon to make for himself a record. There was not one 
who was not prepared to suffer any privation, encounter any 
danger, plunge into the thick of battle, if battle should come, and 
add glory to the history of our navy, whose achievements in the 
past have been the pride of the nation. 

Such was the spirit that animated officers and subordinates. 
How grandly it was exhibited in the naval battles and victories 
that put a sudden termination to our war with Spain is known to 
all men. There was no need of preparation so far as the gallant 
heroes themselves were concerned. They were ready. They 
stood at attention, waiting to receive commands. If there was a 
single coward among them he has never been discovered. The3 r 
were animated by the heroic spirit displayed by Paul Jones in 
the Revolution ; and Perry on Lake Erie in the War of 1812. 




COLONEL. ROOSEVELT MAKING HIS REMARKABLE SPEECH. 
The Colonel expressed himself with remarkable frankness while speaking' at the Guild 
Hall, after having received the honorary freedom of the City of London. He dealt with the 
position in Egypt, saying, amongst other things : "If you feel that you have not the right 



^inVg^t^tti^aon^Qlto^^^ and to keep order there, then I 
means get out of Egypt." 



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BOITTE OF 

MR. .ROOSEVELT'S 
AFRICAK TRIP 

Distances Miles 

Naples to Aden - . . . 2510 
Aden to Mombasa .... 1598 
Mombasa to Port Florence 584 
Port Florence to Entebbe 590 

and around the lake 
Entebbe to Gondokoro 
gondokoro to khartum - 
Khartum to Wadi Halfa 
wadt kalfa to assuan - 
Assuan to Cairo - - - 



450 
900 
560 
214 
583 



■ 1 ■ 4. 





THE FAMOUS ROOSEVELT EXPEDITION 

VIEWS SHOWING PART OF THE OUTFIT TAKEN BY COL. ROOSEVELT ON 
HIS TRIP THROUGH THE WILDS OF AFRICA 




- * A 











a <J 



A MASTERLY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. 81 

Mr. Roosevelt did not, therefore, direct his energies so much 
to the officers and crews as to other matters. The crews needed 
gnn practice, and this he gave them. It grieved the close-fisted 
economists in Congress — men who wanted no measure adopted for 
any object unless it could be done cheap — to see so much money- 
wasted in powder and shot — literally burnt up and fired off. 
Later events proved the wisdom of burning money and shooting 
it away. It cost something to turn a raw middy into a good gun- 
ner, but it was a good investment. In the battles that followed, 
the "men behind the guns" won the victories, and they did it 
because they knew how to shoot. 

THE MAN WHO ORGANIZED VICTORY. 

A recent authority says of Mr. Roosevelt : "As Assistant 
Secretary of the Navy, he was virtually head of the department. 
He was a Carnot who 'organized victory.' He foresaw the 
Spanish war a year before it came, and collected ammunition, 
insisted on the practice for improving marksmanship on board all 
the vessels and made the navy ready.' 1 Said the late Senator 
Cushman K. Davis, chairman of the committee on foreign rela- 
tions : "If it had not been for Roosevelt, Dewey would not have 
been able to strike the blow that he dealt at Manila. Roosevelt's 
sagacity, energy and promptness saved us. 

Speaking of being prepared for war in the event of its coming 
Mr. Roosevelt said : 

"Even if the enemy did not interfere with our efforts, which 
they undoubtedly would, it would take from three to six months 
after the outbreak of a war for which we were unprepared before 
we could in the slightest degree remedy our unreadiness. We 
must therefore make up our minds once for all to the fact that it 
is too late to make ready for war when the fight has once begun. 
The preparation must come before that. 

"In the case of the Civil War, none of these conditions applied. 
In 1861 we had a good fleet, and the Southern Confederacy had not 
a ship. We were able to blockade the Southern ports at once, and 
we could improvise engines of war more than sufficient to put 

6— T.JR, 



82 A MASTERLY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. 

against those of an enemy which also had to improvise them, and 
who labored under even more disadvantages. The ' Monitor' 
was got ready in the nick of time to meet the 'Merrimac,' 
because the Confederates had to plan and build the latter while we 
were building and planning the former ; but if ever we have to go 
to war with a modern military power we shall find its ' Merrirnacs' 
already built, and it will then be altogether too late to build 
' Monitors ' to meet them. 

" The enemies we may have to face will come from over the 
sea ; they may come from Europe, or they may come from Asia. 
Events move fast in the West, but this generation has been forced 
to see that they move even faster in the oldest East. Our interests 
are as great in the Pacific as in the Atlantic, in the Hawaiian Islands 
as in the West Indies. Merely for the protection of our shores 
we need a great navy, and what is more, we need it to protect our 
interests in the islands from which it is possible to command our 
shores and to protect our commerce on the high seas. 

MUST HAVE STRONG BATTLESHIPS. 

" Still more is it necessary to have a fleet of great battleships 
if we intend to live up to the Monroe Doctrine and to insist upon 
its observance in the two Americas and the islands on either side 
of them. If a foreign power, whether in Europe or in Asia, should 
determine to assert its position in those lands wherein we feel that 
our influence should be supreme, there is but one way in which we 
can effectively interfere. Diplomacy is utterly useless when there 
is no force behind it ; the diplomat is the servant, not the master, 
of the soldier. The prosperity of peace, commercial and material 
prosperity, gives no weight whatever when the clash of arms comes. 

" Even great naked strength is useless if there is no imme- 
diate means through which that strength can manifest itself. If 
we mean to protect the people of the lands who look to us for pro- 
tection from tyranny and aggression ; if we mean to uphold our 
interests in the teeth of the formidable Old World powers, we 
can only do it by being ready at any time, if the provocation is 
sufficient, to meet them on the seas where the battle for supremacy 



A MASTERLY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. 83 

must be fought. Unless we are prepared so to meet them let ua 
abandou all talk of devotion to the Monroe Doctrine or to the 
honor of the American name." 

If it wishes to retain its self-respect, most certainly this nation 
canuot stand still and keep undimmed the honored traditions 
inherited from the men whose swords founded and preserved it. 
Mr. Roosevelt asks that the work of upbuilding our navy and of 
putting the United States where it should be go forward without 
hesitation. The whole country should ask it, and did, not in the 
interest of war, but in the interest of peace. A nation should never 
fight unless forced to fight, but it should always be ready to fight. 
The mere fact that it is in trim for fighting will generally spare 
it the necessity of fighting. 

A POWERFUL NAVY PRESERVES PEACE. 

" If this country now had a fleet of twenty-five ships of battle 
their existence would make it all the more likely that we should 
not have war. It is very important that we should as a race keep 
the virile fighting qualities and should be ready to use them at 
need ; but it is not at all important to use them unless there is need. 
One of the surest ways to attain these qualities is to keep our navy 
in first-class trim. 

"There never is and never has been on our part a desire to use 
a weapon because it has been well tempered. There is not the 
least danger that the possession of a good navy will render this 
country overbearing towards its neighbors. The direct contrary 
is the truth. An unmanly desire to avoid a quarrel is often the 
surest way to precipitate one, and utter unreadiness to fight is 
even surer. 

" If in the future we have war it will almost certainly come 
from some action or lack of action on our part in the way of refus- 
ing to accept responsibilities at the proper time, or failing to 
prepare for war when war does not threaten. An ignoble peace is 
even worse than an unsuccessful war, but an unsuccessful war 
should leave behind it a legacy of bitter memories which would 
hurt our national development for a generation to come. It is true 



84 A MASTERLY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. 

that no nation could actually conquer us, owing to our isolated 
position, but we could be seriously harmed, even materially, by 
disasters that stopped far short of conquest ; and in these matters, 
which are far more important than things! material, we could 
readily be damaged beyond repair. 

" No material loss can begin to compensate for the loss of 
national self-respect. The damage to our commercial interests 
by the destruction of one of our coast cities would be nothing as 
compared to the humiliation which would be felt by every Amer- 
ican worthy of the name if we had to submit to such an injury 
without amply avenging it. It has been finely said that ' A gen- 
tleman is one who is willing to lay down his life for little things;' 
that is, for those things which seem little to the man who cares 
only whether shares rise or fall in value, and to the timid 
doctrinaire who preaches timid peace from his cloistered study. 

THE HIGHEST TYPE OF NATION. 

" Much of that which is best and highest in national char- 
acter is made up of glorious memories and traditions. The fight 
well fought, the life honorably lived, the death bravely met — 
those count for more in building a high and fine type of temper 
in a nation than any possible success in the stock market, than 
any possible prosperity in commerce or manufactures. A rich 
banker may be a valuable and useful citizen, but not a thousand 
rich bankers can leave to the country such a heritage as Farragut 
left, when, lashed in the rigging of the 'Hartford,' he forged 
past the forts and over the unseen death below, to try his wooden 
stern against the ironclad hull of the great Confederate ram. 

" The people of some given section of our country may be 
better off because a shrewd and wealthy man has built up therein 
a great manufacturing business, or has extended a line of railroad 
past its doors, but the whole nation is better, the whole nation is 
braver, because Cushing pushed his little torpedo boat through 
the darkness to sink beside the sinking ' Albemarle.' 

" Every feat of heroism makes us forever indebted to the 
man who performed it. All daring and courage, all iron endur* 



A MASTERLY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. 85 

ance of misfortune, all devotion to the ideal of honor and the 
glory of the flag, make for a finer and a nobler type of manhood. 
It is not only those who do and endure who are benefited, but also 
the countless thousands who are not themselves called upon to 
face the peril, to show the strength, or to win the reward. All of 
us lift our heads higher because those of our countrymen whose 
trade it is to meet danger have met it well and bravely. All of 
us are poorer for every base or ignoble deed done by an American, 
for every instance of selfishness or weakness or folly on the part 
of the people as a whole. We are all worse off when any of us 
fails at any point in his duty toward the State in time of peace, or 
his duty toward the State iu time of war. If ever we had to 
meet defeat at the hands of a foreign foe, or had to submit tamely 
to wrong or insult, every man among us worthy of the name of 
an American would feel dishonored and debased. 

ALL SHARE THE HONORS OF OUR HEROES. 

" On the other hand, the memory of every triumph won by 
Americans, by just so much helps to make each American nobler 
and better. Every man among us is more fit to meet the duties 
and responsibilities of citizenship because of the perils over which, 
in the past, the nation has triumphed ; because of the blood and 
sweat and tears, the labor and the anguish through which, in the 
days that have gone, our forefathers moved on to triumph. 

" There are higher things in this life than the soft and easy 
enjoyment of material comfort. It is through strife or the readi- 
ness for strife that a nation must win greatness. We ask for a 
great navy partly because we think that the possession of such a 
navy is the surest guarantee of peace, and partly because we feel 
that no national life is worth having if the nation is not willing, 
when the need shall arise, to stake everything on the supreme 
arbitration of war, and to pour out its blood, its treasure, and its 
tears like water, rather than to submit to the loss of honor and 
renown. 

"In closing, let me repeat that we ask for a great navy, we 
ask for an armament fit for the nation's need, not primarily to 



R<5 A MASTERLY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. 

fight, but to avert fighting. Preparedness deters the foe, and 
maintains right by the show of ready might without the use of 
violence. Peace, like freedom, is not a gift that tarries long iu 
the hands of cowards, or of those too feeble or too short-sighted tc 
deserve it ; and we ask to be given the means to insure that hon- 
orable peace which alone is worth having." 

When war was declared between the United States and Spain 
there was a marked difference between our land and naval forces 
in the matter of preparation. The regular army was limited to 
25,000 men, and even at this limit the ranks were not full. Presi- 
dent McKinley called for 125,000 volunteers. They appeared to 
leap from the ground, but there was no uniform for them — no 
adequate equipment, and no chance of putting them in the field 
until a thousand details had been attended to and a vast amount 
of preparation had been carried on, thus producing hurrying, delays 
and confusion. On the other hand, the navy was ready for the fray. 
There had been a man in Washington who looked after that mat- 
ter, and although it was necessary to purchase some minor vessels 
and charter others, we were not unprepared for the conflict. 

NAVAL FORCES READY FOR ACTION. 

The officers who were to captain our squadrons were person- 
ally selected by the Assistant Secretary. One of those placed in 
command was Dewey, whose name was suggested to the naval 
council as a competent and efficient officer. 

"Dewey!" exclaimed one of the board who knew the sailor 
well. ''Dewey is a dude." 

11 What of that ? " demanded Roosevelt. 

"Why, you are the last man I should expect to want to 
advance a dude." 

"I didn't want to advance him," said Mr. Roosevelt. "I'll 
leave that to you — afterward. All I want is a man over there — 
some fellow who will fight and make war. I don't care what kind 
of a collar he wears ; that is, so long as it is some kind of a linen 
collar." 

As already stated, Mr. Roosevelt foresaw the inevitable rup- 



A MASTERLY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. 87 

ture between our government and that of Spain. Events were 
hurrying swiftly to a crisis. The day of doom that shocked high 
heaven was fast approaching. No nation can forever escape a 
reckoning whose hands are stained with blood. The cry of the 
oppressed, the appeal for help from starving multitudes, the 
dying moans of helpless men, women and children could no 
longer go unheeded. There is a higher law that asserts itself in 
spite of thrones ; it is the law of justice and humanity. 

For many years the "Queen of the Antilles " had been the 
victim of Spanish greed and cruelty ; the foot of the haughty 
Castilian had been placed upon her neck. On the very threshold 
of this land of ours, with all its boasted liberty and its proud 
record for defending the rights of humanity, scenes of barbarity 
and ruffianly cruelty had been enacted that were enough to make 
even savages blush. 

BRAVE CUBANS FIGHTING FOR INDEPENDENCE. 

Through all these years of misgovernment, extortion, injus- 
tice and rapine, a few brave spirits in Cuba had resisted their 
brazen foe — had appealed to the Cuban people to rise in resistance 
to their oppressor, and had fought bravely for the overthrow of 
tyranny. But even heroes cannot always win battles, and for the 
time may appear to be shedding their blood in a hopeless cause. 
It is, however, only in appearance. As "the blood of martyrs is 
the seed of the church," so the blood of patriots, sooner or later, 
bears fruit in the great battle for human freedom. 

General Campos, with his Spanish army, did not succeed in 
quelling the spirit of revolt that was rife among the Cuban people- 
He was recalled, and General Weyler, who may well bear the 
base name of the modern Caligula, was sent to enact more severe 
measures. He had ruled in the Philippines with an iron hand, 
and this was sufficient reason for sending him to Cuba. In the 
chamber of horrors that commemorates rulers branded with eter- 
nal infamy, Weyler holds the most conspicuous place. He is the 
presiding genius over the motley crew whose bloody deeds have 
called down the burning execrations of mankind. It is one of the 



88 A MASTERLY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. 

mysteries of Providence that a monster so black and foul should 
be permitted to dwell on the face of the earth. 

We3 r ler's notorious " reconcentrado " order, which huddled 
the inhabitants of Cuba into the towns, there to die of hunger and 
starvation — or, if they escaped this fate, to pine in sickness and 
want — was the very refinement of barbarity. The helpless vic- 
tims of his infernal atrocity perished by thousands. 

Our whole country was stirred by this appalling spectacle. 
Many persons found it hard to believe that such inhuman deeds 
were being enacted at our very door. Several representatives of 
our Government went to Cuba to get a near view of the situation 
and see what truth there really was in the reports that had shocked 
every moral sense of the American people. 

THRILLING SPEECH IN THE SENATE. 

Among others who visited Cuba was Senator John M. Thurs- 
ton, of Nebraska, who was accompanied by his wife, an estimable 
lady then in her last illness. She witnessed the horrors, the half 
of which ^ad not been told, saw the pale, ghastly faces of men, 
women, children, and, turning away finally from spectacles that 
froze her blood and made her heart-sick, asked with her dying 
breath that her husband should promise to lift up his voice in the 
Senate at Washington and plead the cause of bleeding Cuba. 

When her sorrowing husband rose to address the Senate, he 
said : " I have a right to speak. I give you a message from 
silent lips ; and if I held my peace when such a question is under 
discussion, if I refrained from testifying to the atrocious cruelties 
inflicted upon the people of Cuba, I should falter in my trust ; I 
should fail in my duty to one whose heart was broken while a 
nation hesitated." 

Such an appeal was not made for effect. Thrilling and 
earnest as it was, it was more than justified by the facts in the 
situation. 

When the cruiser " Maine" was blown up in Havana harbor, 
on February 15, 1S9S, it was conceded by all thoughtful men that 
war was inevitable. Roosevelt's prophecy was coming true with 



A MASTERLY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. 89 

startling fulfillment. President McKinley was opposed to war, 
except as a last resort. His position was right ; he knew it to be 
so, and he refused to rush into a conflict with a foreign power 
until all means for settling the trouble had been exhausted. 
There are still those who believe that if he could have had a free 
hand war would have been averted. 

But such an infamous deed as the blowing up of the " Maine " 
could not be condoned by a people possessed of any courage and 
self-respect. There was not water enough in all the southern 
seas to wash out the stain of such a crime. The nation promptly 
addressed itself to the stern arbitrament of the sword. 

FIRST DESPATCH SENT TO DEWEY. 

On February 25th, Mr. Roosevelt sent a confidential despatch 
to Dewey, in which he said : 

11 Order the squadron, except ' Monocacy ' to Hong Kong. 
Keep full of coal. In the event of a declaration of war with 
Spain your duty will be to see that the Spanish squadron does 
not leave the Asiatic coast, and then offensive operatL « in Philip- 
pine Islands. Keep ' Olympia ' until further orders. A footnote 
by the Bureau of Navigation says : " ' Olympia' had had orders 
to proceed to United States." This despatch of Mr. Roosevelt's 
was the first that was sent by our government in regard to the 
taking of the Philippines. 

Mr. Roosevelt's preparations for the coming conflict reached 
to the other side of the globe. When Admiral Dewey arrived at 
Hong Kong with our Pacific squadron he found large stores of 
coal, ammunition, provisions and all other supplies that could 
possibly be needed to put the fleet in the very best condition for 
active operations. It was at Roosevelt's suggestion and urgent 
solicitation that the order from the Navy Department, which has 
since become famous, was sent to Dewey, and he was directed to 
proceed to Manila and " capture or destroy the ships of the 
enemy." 

The brilliant outcome of that move on the part of the com- 
mander is proof that Roosevelt was not mistaken in his man. 



90 A MASTERLY SECRETARY OF THE NAYY. 

The "dude " was master of the situation, and in one day stepped 
into the front rank of naval heroes. If the roar of his guns, that 
shook old Spain to the centre, could have been interpreted, it 
would have said in the most emphatic tones, " If you have any 
more ' dudes ' of this sort they are eligible to appointment in the 
United States naval service." The question was not whether 
Dewey was " well dressed," but whether he could fight, and, in 
truth, it must be said that at Manila his clothes did not seem to 
trouble him. 

A writer gives this account of the Assistant Secretary's 
unexpected action : "Activity in the Navy Department was not 
enough for a man of Mr. Roosevelt's calibre. Late in April, 
1898, he said to one of the naval officials : ' There is nothing 
more for me to do here. I've got to get into the fight myself.' " 

RESOLVED TO TAKE THE FIELD. 

" His ' strenuous ' nature could not be reconciled to inactivity. 
To have no part in a war that involved the honor and prestige of 
the nation was a thought too humiliating to be borne. He knew 
the calibre of the men on the western plains and ranches — the stuff 
of which they were made — and he felt sure that once in the fight 
they would render an account of themselves that history would 
record in glowing terms. 

" There were rumors current before he actually resigned of 
his intention to do so, and of his proposed plan of raising a cow- 
boy regiment for Dr. Leonard Wood and himself to lead to Cuba. 
Leading newspapers at once urged him to remain at Washington. 
They told him that he was the man for the place, and they warned 
him that he was ' ruining his career.' The}'- said there are plenty 
of men to stop bullets, but very few who could manage a navy. 
But he resigned, nevertheless, in due and official form, on 
May 6th." 

The correspondence which passed between Secretary Long 
and Mr. Roosevelt with reference to his retirement from the Navy 
Department is something out of the ordinary in such proceedings. 
Under date of May 6, 1898, Mr. Roosevelt wrote to Secretary Long, 



A MASTERLY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. 91 

inclosing a letter to the President tendering his resignation as 
Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and saying : 

"My Dear Mr. Secretary : Let me add one word personally. I 
don't suppose I shall ever have a chief under whom I shall enjoy 
serving as I have enjoyed serving under you, nor one toward 
whom I shall feel the same affectionate regard. It is a good thing 
for a man to have, as I have had in you, a chief whose whole con- 
duct in office, as seen by those most intimately connected with him. 
has been guided solely by resolute disinterestedness and single- 
minded devotion to the public interest. 

" I hate to leave you more than I can say. I deeply appreci- 
ate, and am deeply touched by, the confidence you have put in me 
and the more than generous and kindly spirit you have always 
shown toward me. I have grown not only to respect' you as my 
superior officer, but to value your friendship very highly ; and I 
trust I have profited by association with one of the most high- 
minded and upright public servants it has been my good fortune 
to meet." 

REPLY OF SECRETARY LONG. 

Secretary Long replied, 'under date of May 7th, as follows : 

" My Dear Mr. Roosevelt : I have your letter of resignation 
to the President, but, as I have told you so many times, I have it 
with the utmost regret. I have often expressed, perhaps too 
emphatically and harshly, my conviction that you ought not to 
leave the post of Assistant Secretary of the Navy, where your 
services have not only been of such great value, but of so much 
inspiration to me and to the whole service. But now that you 
have determined to go to the front, I feel bound to say that, while 
I do not approve of the change, I do most heartily appreciate the 
patriotism and the sincere fidelity which actuate you. 

" Let me assure you how profoundly I feel the loss I sustain 
in your going. Your energy, industry, and great knowledge of 
naval interests, and especially your inspiring influence in stimu- 
lating and lifting the whole tone of the personnel of the navy, 
have been invaluable. I cannot close this reply to your letter 



92 A MASTERLY SECRETARY OF THE NAVY. 

without telling you also what an affectionate personal regard I 
have come to feel for you as a man of the truest temper and most 
Toyal friendship. I rejoice that one who has so much capacity 
for public service and for winning personal friendships has the 
promise of so many years of useful and loving life before him." 

Mr. Roosevelt's letter to the President was as follows : 

" I have the honor herewith to tender my resignation through 
the Secretary of the Navy, and at his request make it take effect 
when you desire. It is with the greatest reluctance that I sever my 
connection with your administration, and I only do it because I hope 
thereby to have the chance to take an even more active part in 
carrying out one of the great works of your administration — the 
freeing of Cuba and the driving of Spain from the western hemi- 
sphere. I shall always deeply appreciate your kindness to me, 
and shall always try to show myself worthy of the trust you have 
reposed in me." 

The President's answer, through Secretary Porter, wj.s as 
follows : 

" My Dear Mr. Secretary : Although the President was 
obliged to accept your resignation of recent date, I can assure 
you that he has done so with very great regret. Only the cir- 
cumstances mentioned iu your letter and 3'our decided and 
changeable preference for your new patriotic work has induced 
the President to consent to your severing your present connection 
with the administration. Your services here during your entire 
term of ofEce have been faithful, able and successful in the 
highest degree, and no one appreciates this fact more keenly than 
the President himself. Without doubt your connection with the 
navy will be beneficially felt in several of its departments for 
many years to come. 

" In the President's behalf, therefore, I wish at this time to 
thank you most heartily and to wish you all success in your new 
and important undertaking, for which I hope and predict a bril- 
liantly victorious result. 

1 'John Addison Porter." 



CHAPTER VII. 

COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S FAMOUS ROUGH RIDERS. 

Regiment Recruited at San Antonio — Men From the Territories 
and From the East — Great Diversity of Character and Social 
Position — Cowboys and Indians — College Graduates — Famous 
Athletes — Rigid Discipline — Hurrying Preparations — Journey 
to Tampa — Vexatious Delays — Lack of Management — On 
Board the " Yucatan " — Voyage to Santiago — Landing the 
Troops on Cuban Soil. 

WHEN Mr. Roosevelt resolved to have a hand in the impend- 
ing war, he did not seek a position in the navy. As well 
posted as he was on all naval matters, he was not a seaman. He 
was a landsman and not a sailor. He could steer a bucking mustang, 
but not a ship. He was to do his fighting on land, and, naturally, 
his mind turned toward the hardy ranchmen and dashing cowboys 
he had known in the West. He believed that if he could organize 
a regiment of these brave fellows he could render a service that 
would help to crown our arms with glory. 

He applied for a commission in the army of volunteers that 
hurried forward to meet the call of President McKinley. To the 
remonstrances of friends and Washington officials, who declared 
be was more needed in the Navy Department than anywhere else, 
he turned a deaf ear. He had rendered invaluable service in placing 
the navy in the best possible condition for the approaching struggle, 
anct was resolved now to follow our flag to the battlefield. 

Preliminaries were soon arranged. He passed a good physi- 
cal examination, and was sworn into service by General Corbin. 
As soon as it was announced that he was to organize a regiment 
and go with it to the front his office presented a strange scene. 
All sorts of men from all sorts of places came to make applica- 
tion for a chance to serve in the ranks. They clamored, they used 
all the arts of persuasion, they set up against one another a fierce 

93 



94 COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S FAMOUS ROUGH RIDERS 

rivalry, so eager were these loyal sons of the nation to honor th« 
flag and prove their patriotism. 

Some of them were rough-looking cowboys who had hurried to 
Washington to make sure of being accepted. They had the air, 
the dress, the bold demeanor of men who had shot big game, chased 
wild steers, tried conclusions with Indians, and their tall athletic 
figures, broad brims and bronzed faces made them very conspicuous, 
and indicated that, with their experiences of western life and hard- 
ships, they would make formidable fighters. 

VOLUNTEERS FROM HIGHEST SOCIAL RANKS. 

In marked contrast with these, others were the sons of well- 
known families, who had been reared in wealth and luxury. They 
came from homes of refinement, and not a few were educated young 
men and graduates of colleges. As Mr. Eoosevelt is a graduate of 
Harvard, many from that institution wished to follow him and try 
the fortunes of war. Indeed, he could not help querying whether 
these noble sons of distinguished sires had stopped to count the 
cost of a soldier's life in active service, or realized its hardships 
and dangers. 

Among others, were three or four policemen from New York, 
who had known Roosevelt when he was their chief, and could not 
now resist the fascination of a life of heroism under such a leader. 
It was evident that he could have raised an army of 50,000 men on 
short notice if he could have been appointed commander. 

From the outset Mr. Roosevelt objected to the designation of 
"Rough Riders" being given in advance to the regiment of mounted 
rifles. "The objection to that term," he said, "is that people who 
read the newspapers may get the impression that the regiment is 
to be a hippodrome affair. Those who get that idea will discover 
that it is a mistake. The regiment may be one of rough riders, but 
they will be as orderly, obedient, and generally well-disciplined a 
body as any equal number of men in any branch of the service. But 
they will not make a show. They go out for business, and when 
they do business no one will entertain for a moment the notion that 
they are part of a show. ' ' 

"Some persons," wrote Mr. Byron P. Stephenson, at this time,, 



COLONEL KOOSEVELT'S FAMOUS EOUGH EIDERS 95 

"were inclined to sneer at Theodore Roosevelt for deserting his 
post as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, where his services were 
of the greatest value to the country. There is something humor- 
ous in the idea of a man of forty and the father of six children 
raising a troop of cowboys, hunting men, and mounted policemen, 
and going as its second in command to fight the Spaniards. Mr. 
Roosevelt is not lacking in a sense of humor, and probably sees 
the comical side of the situation as well as anyone. But Theodore 
Roosevelt is an anachronism. He belongs not to the dawn of the 
twentieth century, but to the mediaeval days. He was cut out for a 
crusader. He is always ready to fight for an idea. He would have 
delighted Cceur de Lion." 

EXPLOITS OF MOUNTED HEROES. 

Our country's history affords some parallels to the unique 
character of the Rough Riders. "Old Hickory" at New Orleans 
led an army of brave fighters; Kit Carson's rangers were famous 
in their day; so were Captain May's mounted heroes in the Mexican 
war. If the leader can be found the men can also be found who 
are. fashioned for valorous exploits. We rather frown upon what 
in common phrase is called the dare-devil spirit, but there may be 
emergencies and crises when it means victory. 

Mr. Roosevelt had been schooled somewhat in military tactics 
before he prepared to take the field. In 1884 he was a lieutenant 
in the Eighth Regiment of the National Guard of New York. He 
remained with the regiment more than four years, and rose to the 
rank of captain. President McKinley offered to make him colonel 
of the Rough Riders, and doubtless he would have accepted the com- 
mission if he had considered himself sufficiently versed in military 
tactics to make a competent commander. 

His reply was, "lam not fitted to command a regiment for I 
have no recent military training. Later, after I have gained some 
experience, perhaps that may come." Not only did he reach the 
position of colonel, but his gallantry and heroic sendees were recog- 
nized by a medal of honor. 

Dr. Leonard Wood, of Massachusetts, was appointed colonel. 
He was a captain and assistant surgeon of regulars, doing duty at 



96 COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S FAMOUS ROUGH EIDERS 

the time in personal attendance on the President and Secretary of 
War. Roosevelt was made lieutenant-colonel. The two men had 
never met until Colonel Wood was called to Washington, but there 
was so much in common between them that they soon became fast 
friends. Each was a sturdy specimen of physical manhood; each 
was a man of high resolves and noble ideals; each was a thorough 
American, imbued with our national spirit ; each was eager for active 
service in the war. These two men formed a host in themselves. 

KIND WORDS FOR COLONEL WOOD. 

Mr. Roosevelt published in "Scribner's Magazine" the following 
appreciative notice of Colonel Wood : 

"He had served in General Miles' inconceivably harassing 
campaigns against the Apaches, where he had displayed such courage 
that he won that most coveted of distinctions — the medal of honor; 
such extraordinary physical strength and endurance that he grew^ 
to be recognized as one of the two or three white men who could 
stand fatigue and hardship as well as an Apache ; and such judgment 
that toward the close of the campaigns he was given, though a 
surgeon, the actual command of more than one expedition against 
the bands of renegade Indians. Like so many of the gallant lighters 
with whom it was later my good fortune to serve, he combined, in a 
very high degree, the qualities of entire manliness with entire up- 
rightness and cleanliness of character. 

"It was a pleasure to deal with a man of high ideals, who 
scorned everything mean and base, and who also possessed those 
robust and hardy qualities of body and mind for the lack of which 
no merely negative virtue can ever atone. He was by nature a 
soldier of the highest type, and, like most natural soldiers, he was, 
of course, born with a keen longing for adventure; and, though 
an excellent doctor, what he really desired was the chance to lead 
men in some kind of hazard." 

Wood and Roosevelt proceeded to San Antonio, Texas, where 
the regiment was to be recruited. It was expected that most of 
the recruits would be western plainsmen, cowboys and ranchmen, 
who were used to the rifle, the bucking horse, the hardships of 
frontier life, many of whom had known Mr. Roosevelt during his 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S FAMOUS ROUGH RIDERS 97 

hunting excursions in the West and his visits to his ranch. Men 
were already on the. ground from Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, 
and others soon arrived from Indian Territory. 

QUICK RESPONSE FROM CALL TO ARMS. 

The call to arms had been heard through all these vast regions, 
and there came a quick response from just the men who were wanted 
for a military organization that was intended for special service. 
At first thought one might imagine that men so imbued with the 
spirit of adventure would never submit themselves to the exacting 
discipline required by their officers. Every one was a fighter on 
his own hook, but they had the intelligence and the instinct to see 
that strict discipline was essential to the highest efficiency, and 
that the grandest quality of a soldier is obedience to orders. It 
did not take long to get this rough material into shape. 

As to arms, the best were chosen for the purpose. There were 
six shooters, carbines and Cuban machetes. The latter resembled 
the old-fashioned bushhook, known to farmers and woodsmen in 
clearing the ground of bushes and cutting roads through thickets 
and underbrush. In a hand-to-hand combat the machete is a most 
effective weapon, more so than the regular cavalry sabre, which, in 
this instance, it displaced. It was thought that it would be especially 
serviceable in the jungles and thickets so common to Cuba. 

Speaking of the men who composed the regiment, Mr. Roose- 
velt said, in a speech, after arriving at his home at Oyster Bay, 
Long Island: 

"We had in our regiment the man who was born in Maine, and 
the man who was born in Oregon, the man who had been brought 
up in one of the great States of the east and the man who had lived 
where he had never seen a great city and rarely a town of more than 
one hundred people. We had the man of the seacoast and we had 
also the man who had never seen more water than was contained 
in the Pecos when the Pecos was 'up'; and it was one of the latter 
class whom I heard on one occasion, when his hat had blown off 
in midocean, chronicle the event to one of his comrades by saying, 
'Oh, Jim! my hat blew into the crick!' To him the Atlantic was 
simply an unusually large creek." 

7— T. R. 



98 COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S FAMOUS ROUGH RIDERS 

"Western men are fond of nicknames, and ''Laughing Horse" 
was the name given Roosevelt. This gave rise to the following 
humorous verses by H. W. Phillips, which greatly pleased the cow- 
boys : 

"THE ROUGH RIDING BRIGADE." 

" So, Teddy, you've come to your own again! 

I thought it was mighty strange 
That you had forgotten the good old times 

And the friends of the cattle range. 
But now the old gun has been polished up, 

And I'm ready to cross the sea 
And ride with you, Teddy Roosevelt! 

Old 'Laughing Horse' for me! 

" Together we've ridden the range, my lad, 

And slept on the ground o' night; 
And you were the boy for a high old time, 

A cuss in a stand-up fight. 
Besides, you were square as a die, old pard, 

And all that a man should be. 
So I'm with you, Teddy Roosevelt, 

Old 'Laughing Horse' for me! 

" The boys have just whooped to your call, my lad, 

From the hot desert Texan trail 
To where the wild yell of the blizzard 's sweep 

Makes mock of the coyote's wail. 
Now, I don't know what the row's all about, 

But my trail lies before me plain ; 
For, Teddy, you've said that the thing to do 

Is to wallop the hide off Spain. ' ' 

The whole country was deeply interested in Roosevelt's new 
regiment, and, indeed, was not a little amused. All accounts con- 
cerning it were eagerly read, and the universal opinion was that 
under his leadership the Rough Riders would be the heroes of the 
war. It seemed an odd spectacle for the sons of old aristocratic 
families of the East to be fighting side by side with the dare-devil 
horsemen and cattle herders of the plains. But a common cause 
annihilates all outward distinctions and welds men together like 
bands of steel. All sorts of characters and from all ranks of life 
helped to make up this unique regiment, and the very pride the 
men felt in their organization, and the determination that it should 



COLONEL EOOSEVELT'S FAMOUS ROUGH RIDERS 99 

render a good account of itself was all that was needed to ensurt 
order, faithful drilling and punctilious attention to every duty. 

"There was Bucky O'Neill, of Arizona, Captain of Troop A, 
the Mayor of Prescott, a famous sheriff throughout the West, for 
his feats of victorious warfare against the Apache, no less than 
against the white road agents and men-killers. His father had fought 
in Meagher's Brigade in the Civil War, and he himself a born 
soldier, a leader of men. He was a wild, reckless fellow, soft-spoken, 
and of dauntless courage and boundless ambition; he was staunchly 
loyal to his friends, and cared for his own men in every way. 

LEADERS TRIED AND TRUE. 

"There was Captain Llewellen, of New Mexico, a good citi- 
zen, a political leader, and one of the most noted peace officers of 
the country; he had been shot four times in pitched fights with 
red marauders and white outlaws. There was Lieutenant Ballard, 
who had broken up the Black Jack gang, of ill-omened notoriety, 
and his captain, Curry, another New Mexican sheriff of fame. The 
officers from the Indian Territory had almost all served as marshals 
and deputy marshals; and in the Indian Territory service as a 
deputy marshal meant capacity to fight stand-up battles with gangs 
of outlaws. 

"Three of our highest officers had been in the regular army. 
One was Major Alexander Brodie, from Arizona, afterward 
lieutenant-colonel, who had lived for twenty years in the Territory, 
and had become a thorough westerner without sinking the West 
Pointer — a soldier by taste as well as training, whose men wor- 
shipped him and would follow him everywhere, as they would Bucky 
O'Neill or any other of their favorites. Brodie was running a big 
mining business, but when the 'Maine' was blown up he abandoned 
everything and telegraphed right and left to bid his friends get 
ready for the fight he saw impending. 

"There was Micah Jenkins, the captain of Troop K, a gentle 
and courteous South Carolinian, on whom danger acted like wine. 
In action he was a perfect gamecock, and he won his majority for 
gallantry in battle. Finally, there was Allyn Capron, who was, 
on the whole, the best soldier in the regiment. In fact, I think he 
was the ideal of what an American army officer should be. He was 



100 COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S FAMOUS ROUGH RIDERS 

the fifth in descent from father to son who had served in the Army 
of the United States, and, in body and mind alike he was fitted to 
play his part to perfection. Tall and lithe, a remarkable boxer and 
walker, a first-class rider and shot, with yellow hair and piercing 
blue eyes, he looked what he was — the archetype of the fighting man. 
He had under him one of the two companies from the Indian Terri- 
tory, and he so soon impressed himself upon the wild spirit of his 
followers that he got them ahead in discipline faster than any other 
troop in the regiment, while at the same time taking care of their 
bodily wants. 

BEST SOLDIER OF THE REGIMENT. 

"His ceaseless effort was so to train them, care for them, and 
so inspire them as to bring their fighting efficiency to the highest 
possible pitch. He required instant obedience, and tolerated not 
the slightest evasion of duty; but his mastery of his art was so 
thorough and his performance of his own duty so rigid that he 
won at once not merely their admiration, but that soldierly affection 
so readily given by the men in the ranks to the superior who cares 
for his men and leads them fearlessly in battle.' ' 

Of course, in this strange gathering of men who had been 
used to a free life in the plains there were some adventurers. 
There were gamblers who would stake the last cent and even their 
top boots on the chances of a game. There were lawless youths who 
were emulating the exploits of dime novel heroes. There were out- 
laws, already notorious for misdeeds, and the law officers who had 
chased them. Several were Baptist and Methodist clergymen with 
reputations either good or doubtful, but who were fine fighters. The 
men, however, whose reputations were somewhat dubious were the 
exceptions. The majority were the bold, brave, honest and hardy 
frontiersmen, whose special mission is to blaze the way for advancing 
civilization. 

A BRAVE PAWNEE INDIAN. 

Indians were among the recruits — Creeks, Choctaws, Cherokees, 
Chickasaws and others. A PaAvnee Indian, known as Pollock, was 
one of the bravest fighters and most reliable men in the regiment. 
Having been well educated in an eastern school, and being a natural 



COLONEL EOOSEVELT'S FAMOUS ROUGH EIDERS 101 

penman, he was made regimental clerk when the Rough Riders 
reached Santiago. It was a remarkable spectacle — remnants of the 
old Indian tribes fighting for the nation that for generations has been 
driving them toward the setting sun. 

Colonel Roosevelt felt quite as much pride in his western re- 
cruits as he did in the club men, society devotees and college gradu- 
ates of the east. Yet these men from old families, who had never 
leveled a rifle in pursuit of game or rounded up a herd of cattle 
or tramped over prairies or braved the dangers of the wild frontiers, 
were not a bit less courageous or daring in the hour of battle than 
the headlong riders that came pouring into San Antonio. 

Among others whose families were well known, one of the 
gallant fighters was Hamilton Fish, Jr., who lost his life at Santiago. 
The list of eastern recruits numbered such men as William Tiffany, 
Woodbury Kane, Townsend Burden, Jr., and Craig Wadsworth, who 
was a leader in the Genesee Valley Hunt Club and the son of a 
wealthy and distinguished family. Tiffany was grandnephew of 
Commodore Perry, the hero of the battle of Lake Erie, whose 
bravery, resulting in that notable victory, is one of the grandest 
achievements written in our country's history. 

There were also men who had been famous college athletes, 
whose endurance and pluck had been tested on the football field at 
Princeton and in the Varsity crew at Harvard. College oarsmen, 
football players, runners and noted scholars were among the hardy 
cavalrymen who eagerly embraced the opportunity to prove their 
prowess and patriotism under the leadership of Roosevelt. 

"Of course such a regiment, in spite of — or, I might almost 
say, because of — the characteristics which made the individual men 
exceptionally formidable as soldiers, could very easily have been 
spoiled. Any weakness in the command would have ruined it. On 
the other hand, to treat it from the standpoint of the martinet and 
military pedant would have been almost equally fatal. From the 
beginning we started out to secure the essentials of discipline, while 
laying just as little stress as possible on the non-essentials. The 
men were singularly quick to respond to any appeal to their intelli- 
gence and patriotism. The faults they committed were those due 
to ignorance only. 



102 COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S FAMOUS ROUGH RIDERS 

OFF-HAND WAYS IN CAMP. 

"When Holderman, in announcing dinner to the colonel and 
the three majors, genially remarked, 'If yon fellows don't come 
soon everything '11 get cold,* he had no thought of other than a 
kindly regard for their welfare, and was glad to modify his form of 
address on being told that it was not what could be described as 
conventionally military. When one of our sentinels who had with 
much labor learned the manual of arms saluted with great pride 
as I passed, and added, with a friendly nod, 'good evening, colonel,' 
this variation in the accepted formula on such occasions was meant 
and was accepted as mere friendly interest. In both cases the needed 
instruction was given and received in the same kindly spirit. 

"One of the new Indian Territory recruits, after twenty-four 
hours' stay in camp, during which he had steadily held himself 
from the general interests, called on the colonel in his tent and 
remarked, 'Well, colonel, I want to shake hands and say we're 
with you. We didn't know how we would like you fellows at first, 
but you're all right; you know your business and you mean business, 
and you can count on us every time. ' 

NO RED TAPE FOR THE COLONEL. 

"That same night, which was hot, mosquitoes were very annoy- 
ing, and shortly after midnight both the colonel and I came to the 
doors of our respective tents, which adjoined one another. The 
sentinel in front was also fighting mosquitoes. As we came out we 
saw him pitch his gun about ten feet off and sit down to attack some 
of the pests which had swarmed up his trousers ' leg. Happening to 
glance in our direction he nodded pleasantly, and, with unabashed 
and friendly feeling, remarked, 'Ain't they bad?' " 

It was something to get the men for the new regiment, but this 
was only a part of what was required. What are men without 
equipments? And with the slow motions of the War Department 
at Washington, and the ridiculous solicitude for red tape in that 
branch of the government, what immediate prospect was there for 
arming the regiment, furnishing horses and other supplies and get- 
ting away to the front? The maimer in which Colonel Eoosevelt 
ignored red tape was little less than amusing. Instead of the red 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT '8 FAMOUS ROUGH RIDERS 103 

tape helping the department to go ahead and accomplish some- 
thing, the department was all wound around and tied up with it. 

To all intents and purposes Colonel Eoosevelt organized him- 
self into a war department, and, whether anyone to this day knows 
how he did it, he equipped the Rough Riders in an incredibly short 
space of time, and saved at least one month when a month meant 
vastly more than thirty days. The regiment was soon placed in 
fighting trim. The cowboys, dudes and aristocrats understood one 
another perfectly. The men were all agreed upon one thing, and 
that was enough — they had enlisted to fight, and all they wanted 
was the chance. 

The Ordnance Bureau at Washington thought freight trains 
were fast enough for sending equipments to San Antonio. The sup- 
plies would get there some time or other. Colonel Roosevelt de- 
manded express trains. Even these were sufficiently slow to satisfy 
the dilatory nature of men who always excuse their delays on the 
ground of " getting a good ready." When the rifles, revolvers and 
saddles reached the regiment it was immediately ordered to Tampa, 
Florida, whence it was to be transported to Cuba. 

The journey to Tampa required four days. The officers and 
men numbered upwards of nine hundred, and besides these there 
were forty expert mule packers, nine hundred and sixty horses and 
one hundred and ninety-two mules. A party of Cubans at Scranton, 
Miss., presented themselves to Colonel Wood and offered their 
services, too, but it was found impossible to take them. The conduct 
of the troops suggested a pleasure excursion rather than a march 
to the battlefield, and although the journey was a wearisome one it 
was borne with unfailing good nature and a disposition to make 
light of all hardships. 

MILLIONAIRES IN THE REGIMENT. 

Troop K included among its members millionaires and the sons 
of many wealthy families. It was commanded by Lieutenant John 
M. Jenkins, who was formerly first lieutenant in the United States 
Fifth Cavalry. It may be mentioned in this connection that John 
Jacob Astor, of New York, equipped a battery and presented it to 
our government, enlisting at the same time and receiving a com- 
mission as lieutenant. Mr. Astor had nothing of the character of 



104 COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S FAMOUS ROUGH RIDERS 

an adventurer; he was actuated by a patriotic desire to serve our 
country in her hour of need. 

The Rough Riders left San Antonio May 29, 1898, and arrived 
at Tampa June 2d, where they pitched their tents and made them- 
selves as comfortable as they could under a broiling sun. Already 
they had learned that the life of a soldier is not an easy one, but 
there was no murmur of complaint. Only once was there any ex- 
pression of dissatisfaction. They had been told that orders would 
be issued immediately for the regiment to be transported to Cuba, 
but four troops, with all the horses, would have to remain behind. 
This was a bitter disappointment. In describing it Colonel Roose- 
velt said: "I saw more than one among the officers and privates 
burst into tears when he found he could not go." 

The want of good management was plainly evident at Tampa. 
An army of 15,367 officers and men, under command of General 
Shafter, were to embark on transports, bound for Santiago. After 
searching half a day to ascertain what transport had been assigned 
to the Rough Riders, it was found that they were to go on board 
the ''Yucatan,*' yet two other regiments had been assigned to this 
ship. By quick work on the part of Colonels Wood and Roosevelt, 
the transport was brought in from mid-stream and the Rough Riders 
turned themselves into pack horses, carrying tents, commissary 
stores and accoutrements on their backs down the long quay. Once 
on board they were packed in like sardines. 

GLAD TO ESCAPE FROM TAMPA. 

Such delays and inconveniences were trifling matters to men 
who were not there for pleasure, and there was no faultfinding or 
grumbling. As might have been expected, the " Yucatan" was the 
first transport that pushed away from the pier. But the order to 
sail had not been received, and the departure was delayed for a 
whole week. The order came on the evening of June 13th, and with 
flags flying, men cheering, bands playing, the ships started for their 
destination. With all the discomforts occasioned by overcrowding 
on the " Yucatan," the men were more comfortable than they had 
been on the low plains and hot sands at Tampa. 

The fleet presented a most picturesque spectacle. The transports 
were convoyed by all sorts of vessels — battleships, cruisers, torpedo 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S FAMOUS ROUGH RIDERS 105 

boats and converted yachts. The mounts of the Rough Riders were 
left at Tampa, and they were assigned to infantry duty. The voyage 
was devoid of exciting incidents, and at noon, on June 20th, the 
transports arrived off Santiago de Cuba, and preparations were 
ma'de at once for landing. This required two days. The troops 
were put ashore at Daiquiri, seventeen miles east of Santiago. 



CHAPTER VIII 

THE HERO OF THE BATTLEFIELD. 

Rough Riders in Cuba — Battle of La Guasimas — Gallan- 
try of Regulars and Volunteers — Captain Capron and 
Sergeant Fish — Report of General Wheeler — Personal 
Bravery of Colonel Roosevelt — Plunges into the Thick 
of the Fight — Incident Showing His Devotion to His 
Men — Roosevelt's Report of the Battle of San Juan — 
Care for the Wounded 

*~THE Rough Riders, having landed in Cuba, were eager for battle. 
* Tired, often hungry, oppressed by the extreme heat, they were 
displaying grand powers of endurance, and were almost impatient 
to prove their courage in the face of the foe. 

They had unbounded confidence in their leaders. They knew 
they would not be expected to go into any danger without finding 
their commanders there before them. Entirely unacquainted with 
the ground the}?- occupied, unused to the thickets, tall grass and 
dense undergrowths of the country, they did not shirk from any 
difficulties, or try to escape any obstacles or perils that beset their 
forward inarch. All they wanted was to find the Spaniards. 

Colonel Roosevelt made a special request of General Shafter 
that his men should be allowed to join the advance column, and 
the request was granted. These brave fighters had no idea of 
crawling along in the rear ; they would have regarded any other 
place except in the front ranks as a reflection upon their compe- 
tency and courage. There was no delay in ordering an advance, 
and on Wednesday night, June 2 2d, the column had reached 
Demajayabo. The next day it arrived at Juragua, which, was 
hastily evacuated by the Spaniards without risking an engagement. 
Pushing on, our troops gained a point within eight miles of San- 
tiago, on Friday morning, June 24th. 

106 



THE HERO OF THE BATTLEFIELD. 107 

Here it was ascertained that the enemy was in front and not 
far away. The sound of their axes, cutting down trees for defenses, 
could be plainly heard. A company of Cuban scouts, who had 
joined our forces, was sent ahead to find out the exact situation. 
They had not proceeded far before firing began, and bullets flew 
thick around them. They dropped on the ground and returned 
the fire, protecting themselves as well as they could in the bushes. 
This was the signal for an advance by the Rough Riders and 
regulars, led by Colonel Wood and Lieutenant-Colonel Roosevelt, 
and thus began the first fighting in the attack upon Santiago. 

The raw troops were ready for the battle and behaved like 
veterans. They were the kind of men who could easily learn the 
art of war. They knew far less about retreating than about 
advancing. The Spaniards used smokeless powder, and could be 
located in the bushes only by the flashes of their guns. The 
exigencies of warfare were entirely new. There was no such 
thing as an open fight on well chosen ground with one army 
arranged in order against the other. The thickets were so dense 
and the Spaniards were so fully concealed that it was reported our 
troops were drawn into ambush. 

RAW TROOPS ACTED LIKE VETERANS. 

But this could not have been true, for the column knew well 
enough that the foe was in front although skilfully concealed. 

Two of the bravest of our men were lost in this engagement. 
Sergeant Hamilton Fish, Jr., was the first to fall. He was firing 
over the Spanish defenses when a bullet struck him and he sank 
down at the foot of a tree, while a number of his comrades gathered 
around him. As he faced danger and fought with unflinching 
courage, so did all the volunteers who had left their palatial 
homes and offered their services in Cuba. 

Another who fell mortally wounded was Captain Capron, who 
has already been mentioned. He was an officer of splendid 
ability, who could be trusted in every emergency, and his death 
was a loss that was keenly felt. When the fatal shot struck him 
he sank down upon the ground and soon asked " how the boys 



108 THE HERO OF THE BATTLEFIELD. 

were fighting." Being assured that they were doing bravely he 
raised himself and resting on his arm said, "I'm going to see this 
thing out." Sergeant Bell was standing by his side. " Give me 
your gun a minute," he said to the sergeant. Upon receiving it 
he kneeled down and fired twice. At each shot a Spaniard was 
seen to fall. He was courageous to the last. After sending 
tender messages to his wife and father he breathed his last and 
was borne from the field. All the Rough Riders who fell in battle 
were buried on Cuban soil. 

Full details of our military operations may be gathered from 
official reports. General Wheeler, who was commander-in-chief 
of the cavalry, reported as follows : 

" In Camp, Jaragua, June 29th. 
" To the Adjutant General of the Fifth Army Corps : 

"Sir — I have the honor to report that, in obedience to the 
instructions of the major general commanding, given me in 
person on June 23d, I proceeded to Siboney. The enemy had 
evacuated the place at daylight that morning, taking a course 
toward Sevilla. A body of about one hundred Cubans had fol- 
lowed and engaged the enemy's rear guard. About nine of 
them were wounded. 

DETERMINED TO MAKE AN ATTACK. 

" I rode out to the front and found the enemy had halted and 
established themselves at a point about three miles from Siboney. 
At night the Cubans returned to the vicinity of the town. At 
eight o'clock that evening, the 23d, General Young reached 
Siboney with eight troops of Colonel Wood's regiment, A, B, D, 
E, F, G, K and L, five hundred strong ; troops A, B, C and K, of 
the First regular cavalry, in all 244 men; and troops A, B, E and 
I, of the Tenth cavalry, in all 220 men, making the total force, 
964 men, which included nearly all of my command which had 
marched from Baiquiri, eleven miles. 

" With the assistance of General Castillo a rough map of the 
country was prepared and the position of the enemy was fully 



'"HE HERO OF THE BATTLEFIELD. 100 

explained, and I determined to make an attack at daylight on the 
24th. Colonel Wood's regiment was sent by General Young, 
accompanied by two of his staff officers, Lieutenants Tyrree R. 
Rivers and W. R. Smedburg, Jr., to approach the enemy on the 
left hand, or more westerly road, while General Young, myself 
and about fifty troops of the First and Tenth cavalry, with three 
Hotchkiss mountain guns, approached the enemy on the regular 
Sevilla road. 

OPENING OF THE FIGHT WITH ARTILLERY. 

" General Young and myself examined the position of the 
enemy, the lines were deployed and I directed him to open fire 
with the Hotchkiss guns. The enemy replied and the firing im- 
mediately became general. Colonel Wood had deplo} T ed his right, 
nearly reaching to the left of the regulars. For an hour the 
fight was very warm, the enemy being very lavish in expenditure 
of ammunition, most of their firing being by volleys. Finally the 
enemy gave way and retreated rapidly, our side keeping well 
closed up on them ; but our men being physically exhausted by 
both their exertions and the great heat, were incapable of main- 
taining the pursuit. 

" I cannot speak too highly of the gallant and excellent con- 
duct of the officers and men throughout my command. General 
Young deserves special commendation for his cool, deliberate and 
skilful management. I also specially noticed his acting adjutant 
general, Lieutenant A. L. Mills, who, under General Young's 
direction, was at various parts of the line, acting with energy and 
cool courage. 

" The imperative necessity of disembarking with promptitude 
had impelled me to leave most of my staff to hasten this im- 
portant matter, and unfortunately I only had with me Major W. 
D. Beach and Mr. Mestro, an acting volunteer aid, both of whom 
during the engagement creditably and bravely performed their 
duties. I am especially indebted to Major Beach for his cool and 
good judgment. 

Colonel Wood's regiment was on the extreme left of the line 



110 THE HERO OF THE BATTLEFIELD. 

and too far distant for me to be a personal witness of the individual 
conduct of the officers and men ; but the magnificent bravery 
shown by the regiment under the lead of Colonel Wood testifies 
to his courage and skill and the energy and determination of his 
officers, which have been marked from the moment he reported to 
me at Tampa, Fla., and I have abundant evidence of his brave 
and good conduct on the field, and I recommend him for the con- 
sideration of the government. I must rely upon his report to do 
justice to his officers and men, but I desire personally to add that 
all I have said regarding Colonel Wood applies equally to Colonel 
Roosevelt." 

" There must have been nearly fifteen hundred Spaniards in 
front and to the side of us," said Colonel Roosevelt just after the 
fight. " They held the ridges with rifle pits and machine guns, 
and hid a body of men in ambush in the thick jungle at the sides 
of the road over which we were advancing. Our advance guard 
struck the men in ambush and drove them out. But they lost 
Captain Capron, Lieutenant Thomas and about fifteen men killed 
or wounded. 

ACCURATE AND HEAVY FIRING BY THE SPANIARDS. 

" The Spanish firing was accurate, so accurate indeed that it 
surprised me, and their firing was fearfully heavy. I want to say 
a word for our own men," continued Colonel Roosevelt. " Every 
officer and man did his duty up to the handle. Not a man 
flinched." 

From another officer who took a prominent part in the fight, 
ing, more details were obtained. " When the firing began," said 
he, " Colonel Roosevelt took the right wing with Troops G and K, 
under Captains Llewelyn and Jenkins, and moved to the support 
of Captain Capron, who was getting it hard. At the same time 
Colonel Wood and Major Brodie took the left wing and advanced in 
open order on the Spanish right wing. Major Brodie was wounded 
before the troops had advanced one hundred yards. Colonel 
Wood then took the right wing and shifted Colonel Roosevelt to 
the left. 



THE HERO OF THE BATTLEFIELD. in 

" In the meantime the fire of the Spaniards had increased in 
volume, but, notwithstanding this, an order for a general charge 
was given, and with a yell the men sprang forward. Colonel 
Roosevelt, in front of his men, snatched a rifle and ammunition 
belt from a wounded soldier, and, cheering and yelling with his 
men, led the advance. In a moment the bullets were singing like 
a swarm of bees all around them, and every instant some poor 
fellow went down. On the right wing Captain McClintock had 
his leg broken by a bullet from a machine gun, while four of his 
men went down. At the same time Captain Luna lost nine of his 
men. Then the reserves were ordered up. 

FURIOUS CHARGE BY BOTH WINGS. 

"There was no more hesitation. Colonel Wood, with the 
right wing, charged straight at a blockhouse eight hundred yards 
away, and Colonel Roosevelt, on the left, charged at the same time. 
Up the men went, yelling like fiends and never stopping to return 
the fire of the Spaniards, but keeping on with a grim determina- 
tion to capture the blockhouse. 

" That charge was the end. When within five hundred }^ards 
of the coveted post the Spaniards broke and ran, and for the first 
time we had the pleasure, which the Spaniards had been experi- 
encing all through the engagement, of shooting with the enemy 
in sight." 

All the Rough Riders spoke in the highest terms of the 
gallant conduct of Colonel Roosevelt during the engagement. 
He was always at the front and cheered his men to deserved vic- 
tory. He did not take account of danger, but set a bold example 
of unflinching courage to all his men. He made it plain that in 
his view of the case the Rough Riders were at the seat of war to 
fight ; they were not out to have a dress parade and show their 
uniforms. Colonel Roosevelt's conviction that war meant busi- 
ness, and not play, was infused into every man in his command. 

An incident illustrating Colonel Roosevelt's devotion to the 
men of his regiment was told by Trooper Burkholder, of the 
Rough Riders, who joined the regiment from Phoenix, Arizona. 



112 THE HERO OF THE BATTLEFIELD. 

Burkholder was all through the active campaign with the Rcxxgh 
Riders, and returned with thern to Camp Wikoff. He was t way 
on furlough on account of a slight attack of swamp fever when 
the Rough Riders were mustered out, and thus missed, as he put 3 
it, "an opportunity to say good-bye to the most gallant con • 
mander and the truest man that a soldier was ever privileged t> 
fight under." 

" Only us few men who were with him," said Burkholder, 
"know how considerate he was of us at all times. There was one 
case in particular that illustrates this better than I can recall. It 
happened after the fight at La Quasina. The men were tired 
with the hard march and the fighting, and hunger was gnawing 
at every stomach. Besides, we had our first men killed there, 
and, taking it all in all, we were in an ugly humor. The usual 
shouting, cracking of jokes, and snatches of song were missing, 
and everybody appeared to be in the dumps. 

SOLDIERS ENCOURAGED BY BEEF STEW. 

"Well, things hadn't improved a bit — in fact, were getting 
worse along toward meal time — when the colonel began to move 
about among the men, speaking encouragingly to eac.i group. I 
guess he saw something was up, and no doubt he made up his 
mind then and there to improve at least the humor of the men. 
There's an old saying that a man can best be reached through 
his stomach, and I guess he believes in that maxim. Shorty 
afterward we saw the colonel, his cook, and two of the troopers of 
Company I strike out along the narrow road toward the town, and 
we wondered what was up. 

"It was probably an hour or so after this, and during a little 
resting spell in our work of clearing and making things a little 
camp-like, that the savory and almost forgotten odor of beef stew 
began to sweep through the clearing. Men who were working 
stopped short and began to sniff, and those who had stopped work 
for a breathing spell forgot to breath for a second. Soon they 
joined in the sniffing, and I'll wager every one of us was sniffing 
as hard as he knew how. Oh, but didn't that smell fine ! We 



THE HERO OF THE BATTLEFIELD. 113 

weren't sure that it was for us, but we had a smell of it anyway. 
Quickly drooping spirits revived, and as the fumes of the boiling 
stew became stronger the humor of the men improved. We all 
jumped to our work with a will, and picks, shovels and axes were 
plied in race-horse fashion, while the men would stop now and 
then to raise their heads and draw a long breath and exclaim : 
'Wow ! but that smells good.' 

" We were finally summoned to feed, and then you can im- 
againe our surprise. There was a big boiler, and beside it a crowd 
of messtent men dishing out real beef stew ! We could hardly 
believe our eyes, and I had to taste mine first to make sure it 
wasn't a dream. You should have seen the expressions on the 
faces of the men as they gulped down that stew, and we all 
laughed when one New York man yelled out : 'And it's got real 
onions in it, too ! ' 

THE COST OF THAT DINNER TO ROOSEVELT. 

" After we had loaded up we began to wonder where it all 
came from, and then the two Troop I men told hew the colonel 
had purchased the potatoes and onions while his own cook secured 
the meat from Siboney. 

"You probably won't believe it, but the bushel of potatoes 
cost Colonel Roosevelt almost $60, and he had to pay thirty odd 
good American dollars to get the onions ; but then he knew what 
his men wanted, and it was always his men first with him. There 
was a rush to his tent when we learned this, and if 3^ou ever heard 
the cheering I'm sure you wouldn't wonder why the Rough Riders 
all love their colonel. 

" I see," said Burkholder, " that in his address to the men at 
Camp Wikoff the colonel told how he had to hurry at the San 
Juan Hill fight to save himself from being run over by the men. 
That's just like him to say that ; but he probably forgets that 
more than half of the men never ran so fast before and never will 
again, as they had to run to keep up with him. If Colonel 
Roosevelt lived in Arizona we would give him any office he wanted 
without any election nonsense." 

8— T.B. 



T14 THE HERO OF THE BATTLEFIELD. 

Writing of this battle, a newspaper correspondent said : 
u Everybody has perfect faith in the American regular, and 
knows what he can and what he will ever do. General Young 
did, then, what the nation knew he would do, and his colored 
troopers fought bravely and well. But the interest of the fight 
would centre in the gallant conduct of Roosevelt's Rough 
Riders — or Wood's Weary Walkers, as they were dubbed at 
Tampa after their horses were taken from under them. Never was 
there a more representative body of men on American soil ; never 
was there a body of such varied elements ; and yet it was so easily 
welded into an effective fighting machine that a foreigner would 
not know that they were not as near brothers in blood, character, 
occupation, mutual faith and long companionship as any volun- 
teer regiment that ever took the field. 

BIG GAME HUNTER AND COWBOY. 

" The dominant element was the big game hunter and cow 
boy, Colonel Roosevelt, and every field officer and captain had at 
one time or another owned a ranch. The majority came from 
Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Indian Territor}^, though 
every State in the Union was represented. There were graduates 
of Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Princeton, Cornell, University of 
Virginia, of Pennsylvania, of Colorado, of Iowa and other Western 
and Southern colleges. There were members of the Knicker- 
bocker Club of New York, and the Somerset of Boston, and of 
crack horse organizations of Philadelphia, New York and New 
Jersey. There were revenue officers from Georgia and Tennessee, 
police from New York city, six or eight deputy marshals from 
Colorado, half a dozen Texan Rangers, and one Pawnee, several 
Cherokees and Chickasaws, Choctaws and Creeks. 

" There were men of all political faiths, all creeds — Catholics, 
Protestants and Jews. There was one strapping Australian and 
one of the Queen's mounted police, though ninety per cent, of all 
were native born Americans. Roosevelt's Rough Riders go as 
Roosevelt's in fact as well as in name. Colonel Roosevelt has 
made his word of peace good in war." 



THE HERO OF THE BATTLEFIELD. 115 

The report of the engagement was addressed by Colonel 
Roosevelt to Brigadier-General Wood, and dated Camp Hamilton, 
near Santiago, July 20th. It was as follows : 

" Sir — In obedience to your directions I herewith report on 
the operations of my regiment from the ist to the 17th inst, 
inclusive. 

"As I have already made you two reports about the first 
day's operations, I shall pass over them rather briefly. 

STRATEGY IN THE ENGAGEMENT. 

" On the morning of the first day my regiment was formed 
at the head of the Second Brigade, by the El Paso sugar mill. 
When the batteries opened, the Spaniards replied to us with 
shrapnel, which killed and wounded several of the men of my 
regiment. We then marched towards the right, and my regi- 
ment crossed the ford before the balloon came down there and 
attracted the fire of the enemy, so at that point we lost no one. 
My orders had been to march forward until I joined General 
Lawton's right wing, but after going about three-quarters of a 
mile I was halted and told to remain in reserve near the creek by 
a deep lane. 

" The bullets dropped thick among us for the next hour 
while we lay there, and many of my men were killed or wounded. 
Among the former was Captain O'Neill, whose loss was a heavy 
blow to the regiment, for he was a singularly gallant and effi- 
cient officer. Acting Lieutenant Haskell was also shot at this 
time. He showed the utmost courage and had been of great use 
during the fighting and marching. It seems to me some action 
should be taken about him. 

"You then sent me word to move forward in support of the 
regular cavalry, and I advanced the regiment in column of com- 
panies, each company deployed as skirmishers. We moved 
through several skirmish lines of the regiment ahead of us, as it 
seemed to me our only chance was in rushing the entrenchments 
in front instead of firing at them from a distance. 

" Accordingly we charged the blockhouse and entrench- 



116 THE HERO OF THE BATTLEFIELD. 

ments on the hill to our right against a heavy fire. It was taken 
in good style, the men of my regiment thus being the first to 
capture any fortified position and to break through the Spanish 
lines. The guidons of G and E troop were first at this point, but 
some of the men of A and B troop, who were with me personally, 
got in ahead of them. At the last wire fence up this hill I was 
obliged to abandon my horse, and after that we went on foot. 

" After capturing this hill we first of all directed a heavy fire 
upon the San Juan hill to our left, which was at the time being 
assailed by the regular infantry and cavalry, supported by Cap- 
tain Parker's Gatling guns. By the time San Juan was taken a 
large force had assembled on the hill we had previously captured, 
consisting not only of my own regiment, but of the Ninth and 
portions of other cavalry regiments. 

CHARGE UNDER A HEAVY FIRE. 

" We then charged forward under a very heavy fire across 
the valley against the Spanish entrenchments on the hill in the 
rear of San Juan hill. This we also took, capturing several pris- 
oners. 

" We then formed in whatever order we could and moved 
forward, driving the Spanish before us to the crest of the hills in 
front, which were immediately opposite the city of Santiago itself. 
Here I received orders to halt and hold the line on the hill's 
crest. I had at the time fragments of the Sixth Cavalry Regi- 
ment and an occasional infantryman under me — three or four 
hundred men all told. As I was the highest there I took com- 
mand of all them, and so continued till next morning. 

" The Spaniards attempted a counter attack that afternoon, 
but were easily driven back, and then until after dark we re- 
mained under a heavy fire from their rifles and great guns, lying 
flat on our faces on a gentle slope just behind the crest. 

" Captain Parker's Gatling battery was run up to the right 
of my regiment and did excellent and gallant service. In order 
to charge the men had, of course, been obliged to throw away 
their packs, and we had nothing to sleep in and nothing to eat. 



THE HERO OF THE BATTLEFIELD. 117 

We were lucky enough, however, to find in the last block house 
captured the Spanish dinners, still cooking, which we ate with 
relish. They consisted chiefly of rice and peas, with a big pot 
containing a stew of fresh meat, probably for the officers. 

" We also distributed the captured Spanish blankets as far as 
they would go among our men, and gathered a good deal of 
Mauser ammunition for use in the Colt rapid-fire guns, which 
were being brought up. That night we dug entrenchments 
across the front. 

"At three o'clock in the morning the Spaniards made 
another attack upon us, which was easily repelled, and at four 
they opened the day with a heavy rifle and shrapnel fire. All 
day long we remained under this, replying whenever we got the 
chance. In the evening, at about eight o'clock, the Spaniards 
fired three guns and then opened a very heavy rifle fire, their 
skirmishers coming well forward. 

SPANISH FIRE PROMPTLY SILENCED. 

" I got all my men down into the trenches, as did the other 
command near me, and we opened a heavy return fire. The Spanish 
advance was at once stopped, and after an hour their fire died 
away. This night we completed most of our trenches and began 
to build bomb proofs. The protection afforded our men was good, 
and the next morning I had but one man wounded from the rifle 
and shell fire until twelve o'clock, when the truce came. 

"I do not mention the officers and men who particularly dis- 
tinguished themselves, as I have nothing to add in this respect tc 
what was contained in my former letter. 

"There were numerous Red Cross flags flying in the various 
parts of the city, two of them so arranged that they directly 
covered batteries in our front, and for some time were the cause of 
our not firing at them. 

"The Spanish guerrillas were very active, especially in our 
rear, where they seemed by preference to attack the wounded men 
who were being carried on litters, the doctors and medical attend- 
ants with Red Cross flags on their arms, and the burial parties. 



118 THE HERO OF THE BATTLEFIELD. 

"I organized a detail of sharpshooters and sent them out after 
the guerrillas, of whom they killed thirteen. Two of the men 
thus killed were shot several hours after the truce had been in 
operation, because, in spite of this fact, they kept firing upon our 
men as they went to draw water. They were stationed in the trees, 
as the guerrillas were generally, and, owing to the density of the 
foliage, and to the use of smokeless powder rifles, it was an exceed- 
ingly difficult matter to locate them. 

"For the next seven days, until the ioth, we lay in our line 
while the truce continued. 

"We had continually to work at additional bomb proofs and 
at the trenches, and as we had no proper supply of food and utterly 
inadequate medical facilities, the men suffered a good deal. The 
officers chipped together, purchased beans, tomatoes and sugar for 
the men, so that they might have some relief from the bacon and 
hardtack. With a great deal of difficulty we got them coffee. 

TENDER CARE OF THE SICK AND WOUNDED. 

"As for the sick and wounded, they suffered so in the hos- 
pitals, when sent to the rear, for lack of food and attention, that we 
found it best to keep them at the front and give them such care as 
our own doctors could. 

"As I mentioned in my previous letter, thirteen of our 
wounded men continued to fight through the battle in spite of 
their injuries. In spite of their wounds those sent to the rear, 
many both sick and wounded, came up to rejoin us as soon as 
their condition allowed them to walk. 

" On the ioth the truce was at an end and the bombardment 
reopened, as far as our lines were concerned; it was, on the 
Spanish part, very feeble. We suffered no losses, and speedily got 
the fire from their trenches in our front completely under control. 

"On the nth we moved three-quarters of a mile to the right? 
the truce again being on. 

"Nothing happened there, except we continued to watch and 
do our best to get the men, especially the sick, properly fed. Hav- 
ing no transportation, and being able to get hardly any through 



THE HERO OF THE BATTLEFIELD. 119 

the regular channels, we used anything we could find — captured 
Spanish cavalry horses, abandoned mules, some of which had been 
injured, but which our men took and cured; diminutive, skinny 
ponies purchased from the Cubans, etc. 

" By these means and by the exertions of the officers, we 
were able from time to time to get supplies of beans, sugar, tomatoes 
and evei. oatmeal, while from the Red Cross people we got our 
invaluable load of rice, cornmeal, etc. 

REDUCED TO GREAT STRAITS. 

"All of this was of the utmost consequence, not only for the 
sick, but for those nominally well, as the lack of proper food was 
telling terribly on the men. It was utterly impossible to get 
them clothes and shoes. Those they had were, in many cases 
literally dropping to pieces. 

"On the 17th the city surrendered. On the 18th we shifted 
camp to here, the best camp we have had ; but the march hither 
under the noonday sun told very heavily on our men, weakened by 
underfeeding and overwork, and the next morning 123 cases were 
reported to the doctor, and I now have but half of the 600 men, 
with which I landed four weeks ago, fit for duty, and these are not 
fit to do anything like the work they could do then. 

"As we had but ©ne wagon, the change necessitated leaving 
much of my stuff behind, with a night of discomfort, with scanty 
shelter and scanty food for the most of the officers and many of 
the nier. Only the possession of the improvised pack train alluded 
to above saved us from being worse. 

" Yesterday I sent in a detail of six officers and men to see if 
they could not purchase or make arrangements for a supply of 
proper food and proper clothing for the men, even if we had to pay 
it out of our own pockets. Our suffering has been due primarily to 
lack of transportation and of proper food or sufficient clothing and 
of medical supplies. 

" We should now have wagon sheets for tentage. 
"Very respectfully, 

"Theodore Roosevelt." 



120 



THE HERO OF THE BATTLEFIELD. 



An officer's report is always intended to be a statement of 
facts. It, therefore, lacks the glow and picturesque features that 
the correspondent or the historian would give to his description of 
a hard-fought battle. The foregoing report tells, in plain language, 
the heroic exploits of the Rough Riders, and is an unvarnished 
testimony to their valor. The simple narration of facts is sufficient 
evidence of the valor displayed by the brave cavalrymen whom 
Colonel Roosevelt commanded. He makes no claim to superior 
courage and fighting qualities, but it is only just to say he was the 
central figure, the grand leader who inspired his men to noble 
deeds and assured their victory. 

Many were the tributes in verse paid to the Rough Riders 
and their commander, some of which lacked literary merit, but 
were forcible. We take the liberty of appending a couple in this 
connection : 

THE BALLAD OF " TEDDY'S TERRORS." 

AS RELATED BY ROUND-UP RUBE OF RATTLESNAKE GULCH. 



There wus a lovely regiment whose 
men wus strong and stout, 

Fer some, they had diplomas, and fer 
some wus warrants out, 

And Wood, he was their colonel bold, 
an' Teddy was his mate, 

And they called 'em '* Teddy's Lamb- 
kins," fer their gentleness wus great. 

Now a good ole man named Shafter 

says to Teddy and to Wood : — 
"There's a joint called Santiago where 

we ain't well understood, — 
So, take yer lamb-like regiment, and 

if you are polite, 
I think yer gentle little ways'll set the 

matter right. " 

So when Teddy's boys got movin' and 
the sun was on the fry, 



And the atmosphere was coaxin' them 
to lay right down and die, 

Some gents from Santiago who wus 
mad 'cause they wus there, 

Lay down behind some bushes to put 
bullets through their hair. 

Now, Teddy's happy Sunday School 

wus movin' on its way 
A-seekin' in its peaceful style some 

Dagos fer to slay ; 
And the gents from Santiago, with 

aversion in their heart, 
Wus hidin' at the cross-roads fer to 

blow 'em all apart 

There's a Spanish comic paperthat has 

give us sundry digs — 
A-callin' of us cowards an' dishonest 

Yankee pigs ; 



THE HERO OF THE BATTLEFIELD. 



121 



And I guess these folks had read it, and 
had thought 'twould be immense 

Jest to paralize them lambkins they 
wus runnin' up agains'. 

So when our boys had pretty near 

arrived where they wus at, 
And the time it was propitious fer to 

start that there combat, 
They let 'er fly a-thinkin' they would 

make a dreadful tear, 
An' then rubber-necked to see if any 

Yankees wus still there. 

Now you can well imagine wot a dread- 
ful start they had 

To see 'em still a' standin' there and 
lookin' bold and bad, 

Fer when this gentle regiment had 
heard the bullets fly, 

They had a vi-lent hankerin' to make 
them Spaniards die. 

So Teddy, he came runnin' with his 

glasses on his nose, 
And when the Spanish saw his teeth 

you may believe they froze ; 
And Wood was there 'long with 'im, 

with his cheese-knife in his hand, 
While at their heels came yellin' all 

that peaceful, gentle band. 

They fought them bloody Spaniards at 

their own familiar game, 
And the gents from Santiago didn't 

like it quite the same — 
Fer you plug yer next door neighbor 

with a rifle ball or two 
An' he don't feel so robustous as when 

he's a-pluggin' you. 



So when the shells wushoppin', while 

the breech-blocks clicked and 

smoked, 
An' the powder wouldn't blow away 

until a feller choked, 
That regiment of Yankee pigs wus 

gunnin' through the bush, 
An' raisin' merry hell with that there 

Santiago push. 

Then Teddy seen 'em runnin', and he 

gives a monstrous bawl, 
And grabbed a red-hot rifle where a 

guy had let it fall, 
And fixin' of his spectacles more firmly 

on his face, 
He started to assassinate them all 

around the place. 

So through the scrubby underbrush 

from bay'n't plant to tree, 
Where the thorns would rip a feller's 

pants, a shockin' sight to see, 
He led his boys a-dancin' on,a-shoutin' 

left and right, 
And not missin' many Spanish knobs 

that shoved 'emselves in sight. 

And when them Santiago gents wus 

finished to their cost, 
Then Teddy's boys, they took a look 

and found that they wus lost, 
And as their crewel enemies was freed 

from earthly pain, 
They all sat down to wait fer friends 

to lead 'em back again. 

That's the tale of Teddy's terrors, and 
the valiant deed they done, 

But all tales, they should have morals, 
so o' course this tale has one. 



CHAPTER IX 

ROOSEVELT'S BRILLIANT RECORD IN THE WAR 

WITH SPAIN. 

In the Fight at San Juan — Colonel Roosevelt's Wonderful 
Charge — Praises the Gallantry of His Troopers- 
Story of Trooper Rowland — Credit Due the Regulars 
— Account of the Battles Before the Committee of 
Investigation — Privations of the Soldiers — A Born 
Fighter — Story of Trooper Johnson — More Casualties 
Among Rough Riders than Regulars— General Wheeler 
on Spanish Defenses. 

ALL accounts of the battle of La Guasimas (so called from a nut- 
bearing tree of this name), and the subsequent fight of San 
Juan, contain abundant evidence that the leader of the Rough 
Riders was a host in himself and did more than any other 
commander to win the victory, as may be seen from the incidents 
attending the engagements, and from the testimony of the 
troopers who took an active part in the struggle. 

Said an officer of high rank : " I cannot speak too highly of 
Colonel Theodore Roosevelt. He is every inch a fighter, and led 
a charge of dismounted cavalry against men in pits at San Juan 
successfully. It was a wonderful charge, and showed Roosevelt's 
grit. I was not there, but I have been told of it repeatedly by 
those who saw the colonel on the Hill." 

Two reports made by Colonel Theodore Roosevelt to his 
superior officer in front of Santiago in July were given out by the 
War Department in Washington, December 22, 1898. Both re- 
ports describe the operations of the Rough Riders in the battle of 
San Juan, the second telling a much fuller story. 

In his first report, dated July 4th, he mentions by name many 
of the troopers who distinguished themselves by their bravery. 
This part of the report, which was made by Roosevelt, as lieuten- 

122 



ROOSEVELT'S BRILLIANT RECORD IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 123 

ant-colonel in charge of the regiment, to Colonel Wood, temporar- 
ily in charge of the brigade, was as follows : 

" We went into the fight abont four hundred and ninety 
strong. Eighty-six were killed or wounded and there are h?lf a 
dozen missing. The great heat prostrated nearly forty men, some 
of them among the best in the regiment. Besides Captain O'Neill 
and Lieutenant Haskell, who were killed, Lieutenants Leahy, 
Devereaux and Case were wounded. All behaved wi*"h great 
gallantry. As for Captain O'Neill, his loss is one of the 
severest that could have befallen the regiment. He was a 
man of cool head, great executive ability and literally daunt- 
less courage. 

" To attempt to give a list of the men who showed signal 
valor would necessitate sending in an almost complete roster of the 
regiment. Many of the cases which I mention stand merely 
as examples of the rest, not as exceptions. 

CONDUCT OF GALLANT OFFICERS. 

''Captain Jenkins acted as major and showed such conspicu- 
ous gallantry and efficiency that I earnestly hope he may be 
promoted to major as soon as a vacancy occurs. Captains Lewel- 
len, Muller and Luna led their troops throughout the charges, 
handling them admirably. At the end of the battle Lieutenants 
Kane, Greenwood and Goodrich were in charge of their troops im- 
mediately under my eye, and I wish particularly to commend 
their conduct throughout. 

" But the most conspicuous gallantry was shown by Trooper 
Rowland. He was wounded in the side in our first fight, but 
kept in the firing line. He was sent to the hospital the next day^ 
but left it and marched out to us, overtaking us, and fought all 
through this battle with such indifference to danger that I was 
forced again and again to restrain and threaten him for running 
needless risks. 

" Great gallantry was also shown by four troopers whom I 
cannot identify, and by Trooper Winslow Clark, of Troop G. It 
was after we had taken the first hill. I had called out to rush the 



124 ROOSEVELT'S BRILLIANT RECORD IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 

second, and having by that time lost my horse, climbed a wire 
fence and started toward it. 

"After going a couple of hundred yards under a heavy fire, 
I found that no one else had come. As I discovered later, it was 
simply because in the confusion, with men shooting and being 
shot, they had not noticed me start. I told the five men to wait a 
moment, as it might be misunderstood if we all ran back, while I 
ran back and started the regiment, and as soon as I did so the 
regiment came with a rush. 

" But meanwhile the five men coolly lay down in the open, 
returning the fire from the trenches. It is to be wondered at that 
only Clark was seriously wounded, and he called out, as we 
passed again, to lay his canteen where he could reach it, but to 
continue the charge and leave him where he was. All the wounded 
had to be left until after the fight, for we could spare no men 
from the firing line. Very respectfully, 

" Theodore Roosevelt.'' 

WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN IT IF DEFEATED. 

Trooper Rowland, who received honorable mention by Colo- 
nel Roosevelt for his gallantry, hailed from New Mexico. His 
frontier life had made him brave and fearless. It would seem 
that this fight with the Spaniards was to him little more than a 
pastime. Without much exaggeration it may be said that if he 
had been defeated he would not have known it. Such soldierly 
qualities were just the oues to be admired by his leader, and it is 
not strange that Roosevelt makes special mention of him, as he 
did of many others. If there was any post more dangerous than 
another, Rowland was the man who felt humiliated if it was not 
assigned to him. 

He was sent by Colonel Roosevelt on a dangerous errand^ 
and on his return the colonel noticed that he was wounded. 

" Where are you hurt, Rowland ? " he asked. 

"Aw — they caved in a couple of ribs for me, I guess." 

Colonel Roosevelt ordered him to go to the rear and make 
himself as comfortable as he could in the hospital.. Rowland, for 



ROOSEVELT'S BRILLIANT RECORD IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 125 

the first time in his service, grumbled, and was inclined to argue 
the case. He did not want to leave. But when the order was 
repeated he' disappeared, and was not seen for half an hour But 
in the course of the advance Colonel Roosevelt saw him again, 
and exclaimed. 

" I thought you were told to go to the hospital." 
" Aw — I couldn't find the hospital," replied the man, a state- 
ment which his colonel doubted. And he remained on the firing- 
line to the end of the conflict. His conduct was typical of the 
heroism and fortitude of the whole American army." 

The following lines, written by one of the troopers, express 
the feeling of the Rough Riders toward their leader : 

SONG OF ROOSEVELT'S RIDERS. 
We thucl — thud — thud down the dusky pike, 

We jingle across the plain, 
We cut and thrust, and we lunge and strike, 

We throttle the sons of Spain ! 
Our chief has never a tremor shown, 

He's grit cinched up in a belt, 
Oh, they must be for their courage known 

Who ride with Roosevelt. 
We gallop along the gloomy vale, 

We bustle a-down the lane, 
We leap the stream and the toppling rail— 

We burst on the men of Spain ! 
It's rattle and clash, the sabers flash, 

The Spaniard host doth melt, 
It's bluff and grit, and it's all things vast 

To ride with Roosevelt ! 

Speaking of the battle, Colonel Roosevelt said : " The men 
were deployed on both sides of the road in such thick jungle that 
only here and there could they see ahead. Through the jungle 
ran wire fences, and when the troops got to the ridge they 
encountered precipitous bluff's. They were led most gallantly, 
as American regular officers always lead their men ; and the 
soldiers followed their leaders with the splendid courage always 



126 ROOSEVELT'S BRILLIANT RECORD IN THE WAR WITH SPATrt. 

shown by the American regular soldier. There was not a single 
straggler among them, and so cool were they and so perfect their 
fine discipline, that in the entire engagement the expenditure of 
ammunition was not over ten rounds per man. 

"Major Bell, who commanded the squadron, had his leg 
broken by a shot as he was leading his men. Captain Wain- 
wright succeeded to the command of the squadron. Captain 
Knox was shot in the abdomen. He continued for some time giv- 
ing orders to his troops, and refused to allow a man from the fir- 
ing-line to assist him to the rear. Lieutenant Byron was himself 
shot, but continued to lead his men until the wound and the heat 
overcame him, and he fell in a faint. The Spaniards kept up a 
very heavy firing, but as the regulars climbed the ridges the 
Spaniards broke and fled." 

PRAISES FOR THE REGULARS. 

The value of this statement consists in showing the estimate 
Colonel Roosevelt placed upon the regulars. He was connected 
with the volunteers, yet was ever ready to bestow just praise, 
anxious only that it should be conferred where it was due. He 
had no selfish desire to belittle the achievements of the regular 
United States troops. He knew these could be depended upon in 
every emergency. They were splendidly drilled ; they were com- 
manded by brave and competent ofiicers. He had no desire to rob 
them of their glory. 

To magnify the heroism of the volunteers and thus disparage 
the valor of the regulars would have shown a jealous, narrow, 
selfish spirit, of which he was quite incapable. His own troops 
acted gallantly, but they were not the only heroes. If he had led 
a regiment of the regular army he would have been 'willing Logive 
the volunteers credit for every deed of bravery. 

Equal and exact justice to all has been the aim of Roosevelt 
through all his public career. Herein lies one secret of his extra- 
ordinary hold upon the popular heart. He is not a self-seeker ; 
he is not a trickster. He is a thoroughly honest, generous, just 
and frank man, and the people know it. And for the reason that 



ROOSEVELT'S BRILLIANT RECORD IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 127 

he is such a man, broad-minded and ready to give even an enemy 
his due, his place in popular esteem is assured. His fame and 
popularity can be accounted for as much from what he is as from 
what he has done. 

Important details of Colonel Rcosevelt's part in our war with 
Spain were presented by him before the committee of investigation 
appointed to take testimony concerning the manner in which the 
military and naval operations had been carried on. Colonel Roose- 
velt was examined November 22, 1898. His statements were frank, 
right to the point, free from all evasion, and given with evident 
endeavor to be j ust to all parties concerned. He was examined by 
General Wilson. 

GO AHEAD TOWARD THE GUNS. 

Speaking of La Guasimas, he said : " It was a brisk skirmish, 
and, it being my first experience, and with smokeless powder in 
use, it took me a little time to make out exactly what was up, and 
I couldn't see the Spaniards for a long time. They were using 
smokeless powder ; but, fortunately, I knew one rule, that ' if you 
are in doubt go ahead and be sure you go toward the guns ! ' We 
finally discovered the Spaniards through Mr. Richard Harding 
Davis, who was with me on the line. He pointed across the ravine 
to an elevation, where he thought were some Spaniards, as he could 
see their hats ; and I got my glasses on them and saw they were 
Spanish hats, and got my men volley firing on them and they were 
driven out and ran back where there were other Spaniards, and 
pretty soon we had them all going back." 

Orders were received on the 30th of June for the brigade to 
move forward to Santiago. The next morning the battle was 
fought which had been impending for several days. When our 
artillery opened fire the Spaniards poured shrapnel into our ranks 
that killed or wounded a number of American troops and Cubans. 
Roosevelt was placed in command of the brigade with orders to 
lead it. 

His official report says : "My regiment went first, the Second 
Brigade following the First Brigade along the road to join on Gen- 



128 ROOSEVELT'S BRILLIANT RECORD IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 

eral Lawton's left. That was the order we received. General 
Lawton was attacking El Caney. We marched out behind the 
First Brigade until we came to the San Juan River, which we 
forded, and then turned to the right. I got my regiment across 
just as the captive balloon was coming along down to the ford. 
There was a good deal of firing going on, and I knew when that 
balloon got down there would be hot work at the ford, so I hurried 
my men along as quickly as I could, and my regiment marched at 
the head of the Second Brigade to the right alongside San Juan 
River, with the First Cavalry Brigade to our left, between us and 
the block houses and intrenchments on the hills, and the firing 
got heavier and heavier, and we finally received word to halt and 
await orders. 

WELCOME ORDER TO ADVANCE. 

Si There was a kind of sunken lane going up from the river 
where we halted, and I made the men all lie down and get under 
cover as much as they could, and we lay there for, I should judge, 
certainly an hour. Finally we got the welcome orders to advance. 
I received instructions to move forward and support the regular 
cavalry in the assault on the hills in front, and we moved forward, 
and we then took Kettle Hill, as we called it. I never heard the 
term San Juan Hill until two or three days later. After we went 
up Kettle Hill, Colonel Hamilton and Colonel Carroll were both 
shot, and that left me in command on the hill until General 
Sumner got there. I got my men together and got them volley 
firing across at the San Juan block house on the hill which the 
infantry of Kent and Hawkins were attacking. 

" We kept up firing for some time, and I recollect we heard 
Parker's Gatlings begin shooting on the left and our men cheered 
them, and we kept up our fire until the infantry got so near the 
top of the hill that I was afraid of hitting them, and in another 
minute we saw the infantry swarm over the intrenchments and the 
Spaniards run out ; and then we charged from Kettle Hill across 
at the next line of hills, which was in the rear, where there were 
Spanish trenches and another block house. General Sumner was 



ROOSEVELT'S BRILLIANT RECORD IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 129 

on Kettle Hill before this ; lie had been riding along the lines of 
the cavalry seeing that they went forward. He had command of 
the cavalry division at that time. 

"Then we took the next line of intrenchments. The Spaniards 
were still firing at us, and we formed and went to the left, and got 
on the crest of the chain of hills overlooking Santiago. By that 
time I was the highest officer in command on the extreme front 
and I had six regiments under me. Major Wessels had been 
wounded, and Captains Morton and Boughton came up and re- 
ported to me, and Captains Stevens and McNamee of the Ninth 
reported to me. I received orders, then, from Captain Howze, of 
General Sumner's staff, not to advance but to hold that hill at all 
hazards. Captain Howze was always at the front when he could 
be. We held the hill until nightfall, when we received orders to 
intrench . 

FED ON THE ENEMAS FOOD. 

" We had captured in the block house the Spanish officers' 
mess — and an extremely good officers' mess it was, better than 
anything we had had ; a big kettle of beef, a kettle of rice, and 
peas, and a big demijohn of rum, and a lot of rice flour loaves, so I 
fed those out to my men ; and we also got a lot of Spanish in- 
trenching tools, and we threw up some very aboriginal intrench- 
ments. So that night we had a mild feast on the Spaniards' food. 

"That is the night of the ist. We intrenched there. As I 
have seen talk about a retreat being considered from that hill, il 
is only justice to say that the officers on the extreme front of that 
line, at least in my part of the line, never dreamed of the 
Spaniards driving us ; they were all perfectly horrified at the 
idea of retreating. Captains Morton and Boughton came 
over to me in the afternoon to say that someone had spoken 
of retreating, and to beg of me to protest. I had not heard 
of it, and did not believe it was true. I knew that we could 
hold that line against anything that could come up in the front." 

Colonel Roosevelt spoke of "the enormous superiority of the 
smokeless powder over the black powder," adding that it could 

9— T.R. 



130 ROOSEVELT'S BRILLIANT RECORD IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 

hardly be realized by those not on the ground. " I saw, for instance, 
the guns on our left open fire, and in a half-minute after the first 
shot there would be a thick black cloud hanging, and apparently 
every Spanish gun and every Spanish rifle within a radius of a 
mile of us would be turned on that point, and the gun would be 
driven out ; so that our men — I mean the dismounted cavalry — 
would say, ' there go the artillery ; they will be driven out.' And 
they were. They were placed back in the rear on the following 
day, but they were driven off the firing line where the infantry 
were. 

GETTING GUNS IN POSITION. 

" On the other hand, the Gatlings, which were managed by Cap- 
tain Parker, were fought on the extreme front of the skirmish line ; 
he fought his Gatlings right up on the extreme front, just as far as 
anybody could go. He did magnificently. He was on the right 
of our regiment. We had our two Colts, and he came and helped 
us put our two Colts in position. We didn't think we had put our 
works out quite far enough, and we zigzagged an approach and 
made a kind of bastion some 200 yards out on the hill, so that 
we could fire right into the Spanish works. He helped us dig the 
approach and helped us get our Colt automatic guns fixed just 
right. He not only fought his own guns, but he rendered us every 
assistance. 

"If he had not had smokeless powder we would not have 
allowed him in the trenches unless he could have stayed there in 
spite of us. I would say that some of the Seventy-First New York 
came up in the trenches right by some of the cavalry of the First 
Brigade, and the cavalrymen ordered them out, saying that they 
would not have them in their trenches ; they would rather fight 
without support than with the black powder, insuring their being 
the one point at which the enemy were firing." 

Notwithstanding all the privations to which the troopers were 
subjected they made no complaint ; all hardships were accepted 
as belonging to the fortunes of war. In one of his first speeches 
to his men Colonel Roosevelt said : 



ROOSEVELT'S BRILLIANT RECORD IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 131 

"You've got to perform without flinching whatever duty is 
assigned you, regardless of the difficulty or danger attending it. 
No matter what comes, you must not squeal." These words of 
Roosevelt became almost a creed with his men. To do anything 
without flinching or squealing was their aim, and to hear the 
colonel say "Good!" was reward enough. One of his troopers 
who was disabled and brought home answered a reporter who 
asked if the colonel was a good fighter: "A fighter? You'd give 
a lifetime to see that man leading a charge or to hear him yell. 
Talk about courage and grit, and all that — he's got it. Why I 
used to keep my eye on him whenever I could, and I've seen him 
dash into a hail of bullets, cheering and yelling all the time, 
as if possessed. He doesn't know what fear is and seems to bear 
a charmed life. All the Rough Riders adore him." 

WOULD FOLLOW HIM TO HADES. 

Colonel Roosevelt was hit by a fragment of shell on San 
Juan Hill. A trooper who was on the ground, said: "Teddy 
was with four or five other officers j ust below the brow of a hill 
upon which one of our batteries was placed, when a Spanish shell, 
well aimed, flew over the crest and exploded j ust above the heads 
of the group. Two of the officers were painfully wounded, but 
Teddy, with his usual good luck, escaped with a cut on the back 
of his right hand. It was trivial, but it bled. I shall never forget 
the delight on Teddy's face when he saw his own blood leak out. 
Whipping out his handkerchief after a moment he bound it around 
his hand. A little later when he was near our line he held up his 
bandaged hand and said gaily, 'See here, boys ; I've got it, too.' 

"I never saw anybody so anxious to be in the thick of the 
trouble as Teddy. The first day the Rough Riders were held in 
reserve he chafed terribly. He kept saying, 'I wish they'd let us 
start.' We all idolized Teddy. He wears a flannel shirt 
most of the time, and refuses to fare any better than his men. 
Wiry, he wouldn't have a shelter-tent when they were distributed. 
There isn't one of our fellows who wouldn't follow Teddy to 
Hades if he ordered us to." 



132 ROOSEVELT'S BRILLIANT RECORD IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 

General Wheeler said of the colonel on his return from Cuba: 
" Roosevelt is a born fighter, and his men were absolutely de- 
voted to him. While we were together on board the transport I 
had an opportunity of observing Roosevelt more closely than was 
possible in the hustle and excitement of the camp. What impres- 
sed me most about him was his absolute integrity." 

Here is what Sergeant Judson, Co. E, First Illinois Volun- 
teers, wrote under date of Santiago, July 30th: " The Rough 
Riders and our regiment have for a week camped together. They 
are a fine body of men, and Colonel Roosevelt is a fine fellow. I 
have talked to him personally three times. He is one of the boys. 
In the campaign against Santiago he was digging trenches with 
a pick, like his men. He sleeps in a miserable tent and chews 
hardtack like the rest, When we first came our food consisted of 
one piece of hardtack for each meal, and some water. 

" This lasted two days, and along came Roosevelt on his 
horse. I was on my way to cut some grass to sleep on. He 
stopped me and said, 'I know you boys are starved for food, but I 
am going to do what I can for you. So far I have managed to get 
some coffee and a number of cases of hardtack, which will start 
you. We are going to fight together, and I want to see you all 
in good trim.' If it wasn't for him I am sure we would have been 
without supplies much longer." 

Thus it will be seen that hunger was often added to the 
hardships experienced by our brave troops before Santiago. It 
would occasionally happen that, owing to the difficulty of trans- 
porting supplies, the men could obtain only scanty rations. A 
humorous allusion to this, and to the ravenous appetite caused 
thereby, is found in the following doggerel, entitled 

A ROUGH RIDER AT HOME. 

My pa's a great Rough Rider, 

He was one of Teddy's men, 
And he fought before El Caney 

In the trenches and the fen. 
He came home sore and wounded, 



ROOSEVELT'S BRILLIANT RECORD IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 133 

And I wish you'd see him eat; 
He's got an appetite, I guess, 

Is pretty hard to beat. 
It's eat and eat and eat 

And it's sleep and sleep and sleep, 
For ma won't let us make no noise, 

And so we creep and creep. 
O, we bade him welcome home, 

And we're glad he wasn't killed — 
But, gee ! he's got an appetite 

That never will be filled. 
He says he caught the fever, 

And he had the ague, too; 
And he kind o' got the homesicks 

And the waitin' made him blue. 
But when he reached the station 

And we saw him from the gate 
We were the happiest family 

You could find in all the State. 

A great deal of interest attaches to Roosevelt's famous charge 
up San Juan hill, when his brigade performed deeds of valor that 
would have done credit to Napoleon's Old Guard. Here is the 
account of it given in the press despatches : 

LEADING HIS GALLANT SOLDIERS. 

" Roosevelt was in the lead, waving his sword. Out into the 
open and up the hill, where death seemed certain, in the face of 
the continuous crackle of the Mausers, came the Rough Riders 
with the Tenth Cavalry alongside. Not a man flinched, all con- 
tinuing to fire as they ran. Roosevelt was a hundred feet ahead 
of his troops, yelling like a Sioux, while his own men and the 
colored cavalry cheered him as they charged up the hill. There 
was no stopping as men's neighbors fell, but on they went, faster 
and faster. Suddenly Roosevelt's horse stopped, pawed the air for 
a moment, and fell in a heap. Before the horse was down Roose- 
velt disengaged himself from the saddle and landing on his feet, 
again yelled to his men, and, sword in hand, charged on foot." 



134 ROOSEVELT S BRILLIANT RECORD IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 

The valor of that day has been commemorated in the follow- 
ing spirited lines: # 

BEFORE SANTIAGO. 

Who cries that the days of daring are those that are faded far,* 
That nevei a light burns planet-bright to be hailed as the hero's star? 
Let the deeds of the dead be laureled, the brave of the elder years, 
But a song, we say for the men of to-day who have proved themselves theii 
peers ! 

High in the vault of the tropic sky is the garish eye of the sun, 
And down with its crown of guns a-frown looks the hill-top to be won ; 
There is the trench where the Spaniard lurks, his hold and his hiding place, 
And he who would cross the space between must meet death face to face. 

The olack mouths belch and thunder, and the shrapnel shrills and flies ; 
Where are the fain and the fearless, the lads with the dauntless eyes ? 
Will the moment find them wanting ! Nay, but with valor stirred ! 
Like the leashed hound on the coursing-ground they wait but the warning word. 

"Charge ! " and the line moves forward, moves with a shout and a swing, 
While sharpc far than the cactus-thorn is the spiteful bullet's sting. 
Now they are out in the open, and now they are breasting the slope, 
While into the eyes of death they gaze as into the eyes of hope. 

Never they wait nor waver, but on they climb and on, 

With " Up with the flag of the stripes and stars, and down with the flag of the 

Don !" 
What should they bear through the shot-rent air but rout to the ranks of 

Spain, 
For the blood that throbs in their hearts is the blood of the boys of Anthony 

Wayne ! 

See, they have taken the trenches ! Where are f he foemen ? Gone ! 
And now " Old Glory " waves in the breeze from the heights of San Juan ! 
And so, while the dead are laureled, the brave of the elder years, 
A song, we say, for the men of to-day who have proved themselves their 
peers ! Clinton Scollard. 



ROOSEVELT'S BRILLIANT RECORD IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 135 

An incident may be here related which vividly shows the 
esteem, amounting almost to adoration, in which Colonel Roose- 
velt was held by regulars as well as volunteers. He received the 
admiration always accorded a man who is every inch a soldier. 

Among the United States regulars whose term of enlistment 
expired during the Santiago campaign, and who quit the service 
upon returning to this country, was a man of the Ninth Infantry, 
known to the members of the regiment as Johnson of Maryland. 
He was a tall, lanky Southerner, and the pride of the Ninth be- 
cause of his marksmanship, which was so true that Johnson was 
head and shoulders over all the others in handling a Krag- 
Jorgensen. 

STORY OF PRIVATE JOHNSON. 

He appeared to be the most contented man in Uncle Sam's 
service, and often spoke of re-enlisting until an event occurred 
just after the first day's fighting at San Juan which caused him 
to change his mind, and he vowed never to handle a gun again. 
He would never speak of it to his comrades, but they all knew 
why he quit ; and although they argued and tried to persuade him 
to remain, Johnson only shook his head and said, " No, boys, I can't 
stay with you any longer. I'd like to, but don't ask me again. 
I can't do it. I must get out." 

One of the members of Johnson's company tells the story of 
what caused the Ninth to lose its crack shot. 

" We had been engaged in the hottest kind of work for some 
hours, and after taking the first line of Spanish trenches we were 
fixing them up for our own use. The Spaniards had been driven 
back, but their sharpshooters were still at it, picking off our men 
here and there. The Mauser bullets were whizzing around us 
pretty lively, and I noticed that Johnson was getting more and 
more impatient every minute, and acting as if he was just aching 
to get at those Spanish sharpshooters, and finally he turned to 
me, and, in his drawling tone, said: 'Say, it's tough we can't get 
a chance at them.' 

u He soon go* his chance, however, for just as dusk began 



136 ROOSEVELT'S BRILLIANT RECORD IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 

our captain ordered a dozen of us to advance a short distance 
ahead and well beyond the trenches our forces had captured. 
When we arrived on the spot we were halted on the edge of a 
dense wood. Just ahead of us was an open space of clear ground, 
and on the other side of that a low, thick brush which extended 
as far as I could see. 

"Just before night came on we received our final orders, which 
were to pay particular attention to the brush just ahead of us on 
the other side of the clearing, and to shoot at the first head we 
saw. We had settled down to our tiresome occupation of watching 
and waiting, but always prepared for anything, and Johnson and 
I were talking in low tones of the day's fighting we had just 
passed through when we heard the sound of a dry twig breaking. 
We were alert in an instant, and all the men in our line were 
looking straight ahead with pieces half raised, ready for use. As 
I looked at Johnson I could see him smile, apparently with the 
hope of a chance to shoot. The sound repeated itself, this time a 
little nearer, but still quite indistinct. 

MIGHT HAVE BEEN A FATAL MISTAKE. 

"An instant later we again heard it, and it sounded directly 
ahead of Johnson and me, and was, beyond a doubt, a cautious 
tread, but too heavy for a man. While we waited in almost 
breathless silence for something to happen we again heard the 
cautious tread, now quite plain. It was the tread of a horse and 
was just ahead of us. Suddenly, as the head became plainer, a 
dark object appeared just above the top of the brush. Dozens of 
guns were raised, but Johnson whispered: 'I've got him.' 

" He crawled a few paces forward and we saw him raise his 
gun, his fingers nervously working" on the trigger. At that in- 
stant the brush parted and a horse and rider stepped out. We 
saw Johnson stretch out his piece and we expected to see a flash, 
but just then the rider turned in his saddle, and by the dim light 
from the dull red glow that still tinged the sky we saw a pair of 
eyeglasses flash. We all knew at once who it was, but not one of 
us spoke. We were probably too horrified, and before I could say 



ROOSEVELT S BRILLIANT RECORD IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 137 

a word Johnson turned to me, and with a look on his face I shal? 
never forget, exclaimed, in a hoarse voice : 

" ' My God, Ben; it's Roosevelt! And I nearly plucked him I' 
"With this he threw his gun from him and just sat there 
and stared at the place in the brush where Colonel Roosevelt and 
his horse had entered. The latter, when he heard the voices of 
our men, came straight up to us, and appeared surprised to find 
us so far beyond the trench. When he heard of the orders about 
shooting at the first head we saw, he smiled and said : 

' ' That is the first I've heard of the orders. They were prob- 
ably issued while I was away doing a little reconnoitering on my 
own hook.' " 

HEAVY LOSSES OF THE ROUGH RIDERS. 

Mention has already been made of the gallant conduct of the 
regulars in the engagements before Santiago, yet it is but truth to 
say that the Rough Riders were in the thick of every fight, and 
the official reports show that they lost more officers than any of 
the regulars, and sustained casualties greater in number and more 
severe than fell to the lot of any other regiment. They lost more 
in killed, had more disabled by wounds and had fewer missing. 

All authorities agree that owing to the nature of the ground, 
the extreme heat and other circumstances our troops had very 
hard fighting. This is evident from what General Wheeler says 
in his book on "The Santiago Campaign." 

"As we rode for the first time into Santiago," he says, "we 
were struck by the excellent manner in which the Spanish lines 
were fortified, and more especially by the formidable defenses with 
which they had barricaded the roads. The one in question, 
on which we were traveling, was barricaded in no less than 
four places, said defenses consisting of an enormous mass of 
barbed iron wire, stretched across the entire width of the road. 
They were not merely single lines of wire, but pieces running 
perpendicularly, diagonally, horizontally, and in every other 
direction, resembling nothing so much as a huge thick spider web 
with an enormous mass in the center. 



138 ROOSEVELT'S BRILLIANT RECORD IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 

" Behind this some ten or fifteen feet were barrels of an 
extraordinary size, filled with sand, stones and concrete, on the 
tops of which sand bags were placed in such fashion as to leave 
small holes through which the Spaniards could sight their guns. 
It would, indeed, have been a hard task for American troops, were 
they ever so brave and courageous, to have taken by storm a city 
which was protected by such defenses as these. Nothing short of 
artillery could have swept such obstructions out of the way, and 
even then they would have been more or less effective because of 
the narrowness of the road and the high banks on each side, 
which would have prevented getting the obstructions out of the way. 

" Kven the streets were intrenched in similar fashion, the 
people taking refuge in the upper stories of their houses. Had it 
come to a hand-to-hand fight, as at one time was feared, the 
American troops would have suffered a fearful loss, being neces- 
sarily placed at such a disadvantage. It was fortunate, therefore, 
that the surrender came when it did ; for otherwise many a brave 
boy who has returned to resume his avocations of peace, or to do 
his duty as a soldier in his native land, would have found his last 
resting-place on Cuban soil." 

TWO DAYS IN A MUDDY DITCH. 

An appreciative biographer of Roosevelt relates the following: 
" A young lieutenant tells an incident of a night in the trenches 
which illustrates the power which Roosevelt had over his men and 
how he managed to hold it. It was the night of the Spanish sortie 
on the captured trenches. The Rough Riders had lain for forty- 
eight hours in the muddy ditch, sweltering by day, shivering by 
night. At the hour of early morning the Spaniards appeared in a 
dense, dark line at the top of the hill. The men in the trenches 
stirred uneasily. Tired and discouraged, chilled to the bone, they 
were ready to bolt at a signal or a movement from anyone. But 
suddenly they saw Colonel Roosevelt walking calmly along the 
top of the intrenchment, with a faded blue handkerchief flapping 
from his hat. 

" He seemed to be oblivious of the rain of Mauser bullets 



ROOSEVELT'S BRILLIANT RECORD IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN. 139 

which were falling about him, and was apparently as unconscious 
of danger as if he were strolling in the woods on a summer's day. 
But the effect of his coolness on the men was remarkable. A 
cheer went up, and every one was calling to the colonel to come 
down out of danger. The restlessness was over, and the drooping 
spirits of the men gave place to grim determination to prove as 
heroic as their leader. A cowboy lieutenant said : ' That was the 
bravest thing I ever saw in my life.' " 

The lack of food proved a trial to the Rough Riders after the 
surrender of Santiago. In his official report to the War Depart- 
ment, Colonel Roosevelt said : 

ONLY HALF FIT FOR DUTY. 

"On the 17th the city surrendered. On the 18th we shifted 
camp, but the march under the noonday sun told very heavily on 
our men, weakened by underfeeding and overwork, and the next 
morning one hundred and twenty-three cases were reported to the 
doctor, and I now have but half of the six hundred men with which 
I landed four weeks ago fit for duty, and these are not fit to do 
anything like the work they could do then. As we had but one 
wagon, the change necessitated leaving much of my stuff behind, 
with a night of discomfort, with scanty shelter, and scanty food 
for most of the officers and many of the men. Only the possession 
of the impoverished pack train saved us from being worse. 

" Yesterday I sent in a detail of six officers and men to see if 
they could not purchase or make arrangements for a supply of 
proper food and proper clothing for the men, even if we had to pay 
for it out of our own pockets. Our suffering had been due prim- 
arily to lack of transportation and of proper food or sufficient 
clothing and of medical supplies. We should now have wagon 
sheets for tentage. 

" Very respectfully, 

11 Theodore Roosevelt." 



CHAPTER X 

MR. ROOSEVELT ELECTED GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK. 

Popular Demand Compels Roosevelt's Nomination — Party 
Leaders Fall into Line — Senator Depew's Nominating 
Speech in the Convention — Roosevelt Makes Speeches 
Throughout the State — Elected by a Handsome Plur- 
ality—His Inaugural Address — Legislation Enacted by 
His Recommendation — A Popular hero. 

MR. ROOSEVELT'S achievements in the war were such as to 
greatly increase the respect felt for him, not only in his 
native State, but in every part of our country. His name became 
a househcld word; his valor and courage in battle created uni- 
versal comment ; his considerate care and kindness shown towards 
the brave men exposed to pestilence in Cuba, and his prompt, en- 
ergetic way of doing whatever needed to be done, all united to 
render him a sort of popular idol. 

Moreover, he had distinguished himself in every public office 
he had held. His freedom from even the suspicion of corruption, 
his lofty aims and endeavors, his thorough honesty and the pos- 
session of those noble qualities which separate the true statesman 
from the mere politician, appealed strongly to his fellow citizens, 
and made them feel that he was a man who could not be spared, 
and should not be allowed to retire to private life. 

Even before the surrender of Santiago in July there were 
unmistakable evidences that Roosevelt was his party's choice for 
Governor. This sentiment was soon made plain by the conversa- 
tion of men ou the street, by interviews in the press with promi- 
nent party leaders, and by the loud acclaim with which his name 
was greeted on every public occasion where it was mentioned. 
The sentiment in favor of his nomination gathered force day by 
day. Buttons decorated with his portrait found a ready market, 
with a host of voters to wear them, including especially young men. 

140 



MR. ROOSEVELT ELECTED GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK. 141 

Governor Frank S. Black had been elected two years previously 
by an immense plurality. If precedent and success counted for 
anything he should receive the nomination the second time. The 
masses of the people, however, were becoming restless. Much 
was said about " boss rule," and the disposition to revolt against 
the "machine" created alarm among the party leaders. Many of 
the "machine" supporters opposed the nomination of Roosevelt. 
He was not sufficiently pliable. He could not be trusted to 
do anything out of the line of what was his strict duty. 

Was he not independent, set in his views and resolute in 
maintaining them ? Did he not have a mind of his own, and 
respectfully decline to borrow the mind of anybody else ? Had he 
not shown a most lamentable disrespect for machine politicians 
when he was a member of the Legislature, Civil Service Commis- 
sioner, and president of the Police Board of New York ? Such a 
man as that for Governor ? Why, the thing was preposterous. 

WANTED BY THE RANK AND FILE. 

.But the personal characteristics and the public record that 
caused some of the party leaders to oppose his nomination, were 
among the chief reasons why the rank and file of his party 
wished to elevate him to the highest office in the State. In the 
nominating convention there was but one other candidate besides 
himself. Governor Black was not unconscious of Mr. Roosevelt's 
popularity, but he determined to secure the nomination if possible. 
His friends supported him faithfully, yet all their efforts failed 
to stay the tide that had been running for weeks in Roosevelt's 
favor. Judge J. R. Cady, of Hudson, nominated Governor Black, 
but failed to awaken any enthusiasm for his candidate. 

The speech of Senator Depew, placing Mr. Roosevelt in 
nomination, was so appreciative and graceful, and withal so just 
a tribute to the man, that we present it here entire : 

" Gentlemen : Not since 1863 has the Republican party met 
in convention when the conditions of the country were so interest- 
ing or so critical. Then the emancipation of President Lincoln, 



142 MR. ROOSEVELT ELECTED GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK. 

giving freedom and citizenship to fonr millions of slaves, brought 
about a revolution in the internal policy of our government which 
seemed to multitudes of patriotic men full of the gravest dangers 
to the republic, The effect of the situation was the sudden and 
violent sundering of the ties which bound the past to the present 
and the future. New problems were precipitated upon our states- 
men to solve, which were not to be found in the text-books of the 
schools, nor in the manuals of traditions of Congress. The one 
courageous, constructive party which our politics has known 
for half a century, solved those problems so successfully that the 
regenerated and disenthralled republic has grown and pros- 
pered under this new birth of liberty beyond all precedent and 
every prediction. 

" Now as then, the unexpected has happened. The wildest 
dream ever born of the imagination of the most optimistic believer 
in our destiny could not foresee when McKinley was elected two 
years ago the on-rushing torrent of events of the past three 
months. We are either to be submerged by this break in the 
dikes erected by Washington about our government, or we are to 
find by the wise utilization of the conditions forced upon us* how 
to be safer and stronger within our old boundaries, and to add in- 
calculably to American enterprise and opportunity by becoming 
masters of the sea, and entering with the surplus of our manufac- 
tures the markets of the world. 

NEW EVENTS AND PROBLEMS. 

" We cannot retreat or hide. We must 'ride the waves and 
direct the storm.' A war has been fought and won, and vast 
possessions new and far away, have been acquired. In the 
short space of one hundred and thirteen days politicians and 
parties have been forced to meet new questions and to take sides 
upon startling issues. The face of the world has been changed. 
The maps of yesterday are obsolete. Columbus, looking for the 
Orient and its fabled treasures, sailed four hundred years ago into 
tb» landlocked harbor of Santiago, and to-day his spirit sees his 
bones resting under the flag of a new and great country which 



MR. ROOSEVELT ELECTED GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK. 143 

has found the way and conquered the outposts, and is knocking 
at the door of the farthest Hast. 

" The times require constructive statesmen. As in 1776 and 
1865, we need architects and builders. A protective tariff, sound 
money — the gold standard, the retirement of the government from 
the banking business, and State issues are just as important as 
ever. Until three months ago to succeed we would have had to 
satisfy the voters of the soundness and wisdom of our position on 
these questions. The cardinal principles of the Republican policy 
will be the platform of this canvass and of future ones. 

" But at this juncture the people have temporarily put every- 
thing else aside and are applying their whole thought to the war 
with Spain and its consequences. We believe that they think 
and will vote that our war with Spain was just and righteous. 
We cannot yet say that American constituencies have settled 
convictions on territorial expansion and the government of distant 
islands and alien races. We can say that Republican opinion 
glories in our victories and follows the flag. 

ROOSEVELT FOR GOVERNOR. 

" The resistless logic of events overcomes all other consider- 
ations and impels me to present the name of, as it will persuade you 
to nominate as our candidate for Governor of the State of New 
York, Colonel Theodore Roosevelt. If he were" only the hero of 
a brilliant charge on the battlefield, and there was nothing else 
which fitted him for this high place, I would not put him in nomi- 
nation. 

"But Colonel Roosevelt has shown conspicuous ability in the 
public service for ten years. He was a soldier three months. It 
is not time which tells with an executive mind and restless energy 
like Roosevelt's, but opportunity. Give him the chance and he 
leads to victory. He has held two positions which generally ruin 
the holder of them with politicians and the unthinking. One was 
Civil Service Commissioner and the other Police Commissioner 
for New York City. So long as the public did not understand 
him there was plenty of lurid language and gnashing of teeth. 



144 MR. ROOSEVELT ELECTED GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK. 

"The people are always just in the end. Let them know 
everything that can be said about a man and see all the search- 
light of publicity will reveal and their verdict is the truth. When 
the smoke had cleared away from the batteries of abuse they saw 
the untouched and unharmed figure of a public-spirited, broad- 
minded, and courageous officer, who understood official responsi- 
bility to mean the performance without fear or favor of the work 
he had promised to do and obedience to the laws he had sworn to 
support. The missiles from those batteries flew past him as in- 
nocously as did the bullets from the Spanish Mausers on the hill 
of San Juan. 

"When he became Assistant Secretary of the Navy he was in 
a sphere more congenial to his genius and abilities. He is a 
better soldier than he is a policeman. Life on the plains had 
broadened his vision and invigorated his youth. Successful ex. 
cursions into the literature of the ranch, and the hunting for big 
game had opened up for him the present resources and boundless 
possibilities of the United States. 

RESOLVES TO FORM A REGIMENT. 

" He was fortunately under the most accomplished, able, 
generous, and indulgent chief in Secretary Long. A small man 
would have been jealous of this dynamitic bundle of brains, 
nerves, energy, and initiative, but our distinguished Secretarj^ 
gave full scope to his brilliant assistant. The country owes 
much to him for the efficiency and splendid condition of our Navy. 

"The wife of a cabinet officer told me that when Assistant 
Secretary Roosevelt announced that he had determined to resign 
and raise a regiment for the war, some of the ladies in the admin- 
istration circle thought it their duty to remonstrate with him. 
They said : 'Mr. Roosevelt, you have six children, the 3 T oungest 
a few months old. While the country is full of young men who 
have no such responsibilities and are eager to enlist, you have no 
right to leave the burden upon your wife of the care, support, and 
bringing up of that family.' Roosevelt's answer was a Roosevelt 
answer : 'I have done as much as any one to bring on this war, 



MR. ROOSEVELT ELECTED GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK. 145 

because I believed it must come, and the sooner the better, and 
now that war is declared I have no right to ask others to do the 
fighting and stay at home myself.' 

"The regiment of rough riders was an original American 
suggestion, to demonstrate that patriotism and indomitable courage 
are common to all conditions of American life. The same great 
qualities are found under the slouch hat of the cowboy, and the 
elegant imported tile of New York's gilded youth. Their man- 
ner sms are the veneers of the West and the Bast ; their manhood 
is the same. 

"In that hot, and pest-cursed climate of Cuba officers had op- 
portunities for protection from miasma and fever which were not 
possible for the men. But the Rough Riders endured no hard- 
ships nor dangers which were not shared by their colonel. He 
helped them dig the ditches ; he stood beside them in the deadly 
dampness of the trenches. No floored tent for him if his comrades 
must sleep on the ground and under the sky. 

CHARGED IN ADVANCE OF HIS MEN. 

"In that world-famed charge of the Rough Riders through 
the hail of shot and up the hill of San Juan, their colonel was a 
hundred feet in advance. The bullets whistling by him are rap- 
idly thinning the ranks of these desperate fighters. The colonel 
trips and falls and the line wavers, but in a moment he is up again, 
waving his sword, climbing and shouting. He bears a charmed 
life. He clips the barbed wire fence and plunges through, yelling 
'Come on, boys ; come on, and we will lick hell out of them.' The 
moral force of that daring cowed and awed the Spaniards, and they 
fled from their fortified heights and Santiago was ours. 

"Colonel Roosevelt is the typical citizen-soldier. The sani- 
tary condition of our army in Cuba might not have been known 
for weeks through the regular channels of inspection and report 
to the various departments. Here the citizen in the colonel 
overcame the official routine reticence of the soldier. His graphic 
letter to the government and the round robin he initiated brought 
suddenly and sharply to our attention the frightful dangers of dis- 

10— T.B. 



146 MR. ROOSEVELT ELECTED GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK. 

ease and death, and resulted in our boys being brought immedi- 
ately home. He may have been subject to court martial for vio- 
lating the articles of war, but the humane impulses of the people 
gave him gratitude and applause. 

"It is seldom in political conflicts, when new and unexpected 
issues have to be met and decided, that a candidate can be found 
who personifies the popular and progressive side of those issues. 
Representative men move the masses to enthusiasm and are more 
easily understood than measures. Lincoln, with his immortal 
declaration, made at a time when to make it insured his defeat by 
Douglas for the United States Senate, that 'a house divided 
against itself cannot stand. I believe this Government cannot 
endure permanently half slave and half free,' embodied the anti- 
slavery doctrine. 

HERO OF THE HOUR. 

"Grant, with Appomattox and the parole of honor to the Con- 
federate Army behind him, stood for the perpetuity of union and 
liberty. McKinley, by his long and able advocacy of its princi- 
ples, is the leading spirit for the protection of American industries. 
For this year, for this crisis, for the voters of the Empire State, 
for the young men of the country and the upward, onward, and 
outward trend of the United States, the candidate of candidates is 
the hero of Santiago, the idol of the Rough Riders — Colonel 
Theodore Roosevelt." 

Enthusiastic cheering followed Senator Depew's eloquent 
speech. It was plain that Roosevelt was the hero of the hour. 
Other speeches in behalf of both candidates were made, and when 
the result of the balloting was announced, Judge Cady rose and 
said : " On behalf of Governor Frank S. Black and on behalf of 
every delegate who voted for him in this convention, I say they 
will stand by the nomination of Colonel Roosevelt as he stood by 
the country. We will not be in the reserve forces, but we will be 
at the front and we will stand shoulder to shoulder with the best 
of you and push Colonel Roosevelt into the executive chair by a 
tremendous majority. More than that we will take the executive 



MR. ROOSEVELT ELECTED GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK. 147" 

chair for Colonel Roosevelt as he took as a Rough Rider the 
heights of San Juan." 

The vote of the convention was 753 for Roosevelt and 218 for 
Black. The nomination of the hero of Santiago was made 
unanimous amidst cheers that shook the building where the dele- 
gates were assembled. It was believed that never before in the 
State of New York had a political convention done a better piece of 
work. If the friends of Governor Black felt some disappointment 
over the outcome of the convention they wisely concealed it, and 
yielded their personal preferences to the will of the majority. 

Republicans in the State of New York and throughout the 
country gave hearty response to the nomination. Mr. Roosevelt 
was invulnerable against all attacks on the ground of political 
dishonesty or incapacity. Young as he was he had shown great 
ability as a public official, and it was believed he was more than 
equal to the situation. When told that people thought he would 
make a good Governor, his modest reply was, " I will try." 

A MAN WITH A LEVEL HEAD. 

This answer was characteristic of the man. The repeated 
honors thrust upon him have never turned his head. Having no 
element of self-conceit in his composition, and being in no sense 
a victim of pride, he busies himself, not with his own successes, 
but with the duties and responsibilities of his office. The nomina- 
tion for Governor came in the natural order of events. He had 
worked up to it by his own efforts for better government, and it 
did not take him by surprise. If he had been defeated in the con- 
vention he would not have berated his party, but would have 
proved his loyalty by ardently supporting the nominee. 

No loud hurrah characterized the beginning of the campaign 
that followed his nomination. It was almost taken for granted 
that he would be elected, and that no special effort to this end was 
needed. A very respectable candidate was put in the field by the 
opposing party, one comparatively unknown, and therefore one 
against whom little could be said. Mr. Roosevelt was not dis- 
posed to take any chances, and at once prepared to wage an active 



148 MR. ROOSEVELT ELECTED GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK. 

campaign. Although the Democratic nominee, Augustus Van 
Wyck, was not likely to draw to himself the independent vote, it 
was thought that he would receive the vote of his party, and this 
would make him a formidable antagonist. 

ROOSEVELT ON THE STUMP. 

Mr. Roosevelt prepared to stump the State. The people 
waited for his coining. He was the man they wished to see and 
hear. Mr. Odell, chairman of the Republican State Committee, 
and afterward Governor, rather objected to Mr. Roosevelt's plan 
of making a tour through the State, yielding only when it was 
found that no other speaker could satisfy the demand of the peo- 
ple to meet the leader of the Rough Riders face to face. When it 
was known that he was to appear at any town there was an im- 
mense outpouring of the people to greet him. He passed rapidly 
from place to place, addressed the crowds from the rear platform 
of his car, and made in all about three hundred speeches. They 
were sharp, incisive, right to the point, and admirably adapted to 
the average intelligence of those who heard him. 

In a speech at Utica he made these significant statements : 
" My opponents ask you to vote only as New Yorkers. I ask you 
to vote as New Yorkers ; I ask you to remember every State 
issue ; I ask you to keep in mind carefully every matter concern- 
ing the welfare of New York. 

"But I ask you also to remember that you are not only New 
Yorkers, but Americans, that you have interests not only in the 
State but in the Union — which is greater than any State — that 
your welfare is bound up with the welfare of the nation, and that 
the honor of each man of you is sensitive to the honor of the flag. 

"I ask you to remember that you cannot, if you would, help 
letting your ballots this fall have their effect throughout the 
Union. You cannot vote a half ballot. You cannot put a caveat 
on your ballot that will only be heard of in the State of New York. 

"As New York goes on November 8th, so the friends of 
honest finance, the believers in national honor throughout thr 
Union will be elated or cast down." 



MR. ROOSEVELT ELECTED GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK. 149 

The election in November gave Mr. Roosevelt a plurality of 
18,079. A very considerable part of the vote he received was a 
personal tribute to his sterling qualities as a man, a public official 
and a patriot who was ready to place his country above every other 
consideration. 

On the 31st of December, 1898, he took the oath of office at 
the capitol in Albany, and on Monday, January 2d, was inaug- 
urated as the 36th Governor of New York, thus taking his place 
in a line of distinguished men that runs back to 1777, at which 
time the State constitution was adopted. The inauguration cere- 
mony was held in the Assembly Chamber at 11 o'clock. Mr. 
Black, the retiring Governor, made a felicitous address of welcome 
to the new executive. 

The first message of Governor Roosevelt was sent to the 
Legislature on January 4th. It bore all the evidences of his 
thoughtful mind and scholarly attainments. 

GOVERNOR'S FIRST MESSAGE. 

He touched upon the Civil Service as follows : " The methods 
of appointment to the civil service of the State are now in utter 
confusion, no less than three great systems being in effect — one in 
the City of New York, one in other cities, and one in the State at 
large. I recommend that a law be passed introducing one uniform 
practice for the entire State, and providing, as required by the 
Constitution, for the enforcement of civil service regulations in 
the State and its subdivisions." 

On the labor question he declared : " The development in 
extent and variety of industries has necessitated legislation in 
the interest of labor. This legislation is not necessarily against 
the interests of capital ; on the contrary, if wisely devised it is for 
the benefit of both laborers and employers. We have very wisely 
passed many laws for the benefit of labor, in themselves good, 
and for the time being, sufficient; but experience has shown that 
the full benefit of these laws is not obtained through the lack of 
proper means of enforcing them and the failure to make any one 
department responsible for their enforcement." 



150 MR. ROOSEVELT ELECTED GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK. 

The Governor also had something to say concerning the late 
war : " We are not merely New Yorkers. We are Americans ; and 
the interests of all Americans, whether from the North, the South, 
the East or the great West, are equally dear to the men of the Em- 
pire State. As we grow into a mighty nation, which, whether it will 
or not, must inevitably play a great part for good or for evil in the 
affairs of the world at large, the people of New York wish it under- 
stood that they look at all questions of American foreign policy 
from the most thoroughly national standpoint." 

It soon became evident that a man of unusual vigor was in 
the Governor's chair. He had no idea of being a mere figure-head, 
or a tool of men who had " axes to grind." He saw abundant oc- 
casion for many changes and reforms in the State laws, and for the 
enactment of special legislation to correct old abuses. He went 
about the work in his own energetic way, and even those who did 
not altogether approve the measures he proposed could not doubt 
but his one aim was to promote the public welfare and render the 
best service to all interests affected by State legislation. 

IMPROVING CONDITION OF THE POOR. 

He gave all the aid possible to the Tenement Commission that 
had for its object the closing of sweat-shops and improving the 
condition of the poor. There were grievous evils from which the 
people in tenement house districts were suffering, and persistent 
efforts were made to abolish these and better the social, sanitary 
and moral condition of the localities in large cities which were most 
crowded with population. 

Mr. Roosevelt was again confronted with the old chronic prob- 
lem of the police force of New York. Laws had been enacted 
apparently for the purpose of defeating themselves. Whether from 
stupidity or chicanery the enactments were such that it was almost 
impossible to effect any change for the better in the administration 
of the police force. Responsibility could be placed upon no one, 
and at this vital part of city government there was almost com- 
plete paralysis. Senator Piatt seconded the Governor's efforts to 
mend matters by advocating the measures proposed, but through 



MR. ROOSEVELT ELECTED GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK. 151 

the apathy and neglect of Republican Senators the proposed en- 
actments failed to carry. 

Governor Roosevelt succeeded in reforming the administra- 
tion of the canals, by making the Canal Commission non-partisan. 
He also applied the merit system to county offices, thereby greatly 
improving the civil service. 

But the Governor soon showed that he was gunning for bigger 
game. The great wealthy corporations of New York, holding val- 
uable franchises, had long taken advantage of some legal techni- 
cality and escaped paying taxes. Mr. Roosevelt claimed that the 
State was defrauded, that these corporations were legitimate sub- 
jects for taxation, and that to exempt them and compel the people 
to pay the large share of taxation that properly belonged to these 
institutions was nothing less than public robbery. It soon became 
evident that he had the hottest kind of a fight on hand. Fierce 
opposition was aroused, both within his own party and without, 
and the most active and powerful agencies combined to compass 
his defeat. 

CORPORATIONS BROUGHT TO TERMS. 

A cry went up like that which greeted Paul at Ephesus, 
" Great is Diana of the Bphesians," and men ran to and fro declar- 
ing that their craft was in danger. The corporations had been so 
long undisturbed that they resented any demands made upon them 
as almost an infringement of their vested rights. But Governor 
Roosevelt called an extra session of the Legislature and secured 
the passage of a bill, which, if it was not as drastic and compre- 
hensive as he wished, established the principle of street franchise 
legislation. By reason of this notable victory the State was many 
million dollars richer, and the burdens of taxation that had been 
borne by the poor and people in moderate circumstances were 
rendered so much the lighter. 

The struggle thus ended was one of the fiercest ever fought 
to a conclusion. Although the object sought was a fair and just 
equalization of taxes between the rich and poor, every possible 
scheme, every influence that could be commanded, and every 



152 MR. ROOSEVELT ELECTED GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK. 

appeal that could be made to sordid and selfish motives, were 
employed to block legislation and defeat justice. This one act 
on the Governor's part was hailed by the people of the State with 
the greatest satisfaction and added to a popularity that was already 
great. 

It was during his term of office that Admiral Dewey returned 
from Manila to receive a welcome such as has seldom been 
accorded to any hero. New York was crowded with visitors from 
near and far who had come to witness the celebration of our naval 
victory in the Philippines and do honor to the famous commander 
who had won it. Both the Army and Navy were splendidly 
represented in the procession. Gay uniforms, fluttering plumes 
and flags, strains of thrilling music and the appearance of the 
nation's most renowned defenders, all conspired to form a specta- 
cle that would live forever in the memory of those who witnessed 
it. There was every demonstration of patriotic delight — tumul- 
tuous shouts and cheers, fluttering handkerchiefs, waving hats, 
loud huzzas from hundreds of thousands of excited spectators. 

GREAT POPULAR DEMONSTRATION. 

After the brilliant uniforms and shining equipments had 
passed there came a man in plain citizen's dress, mounted on a 
steady and not remarkably showy horse, his form erect and 
his kindly face sending back a greeting to the roar of plaudits 
that accompanied him at every step. From one end of the line 
\> the other there was an enthusiastic and continuous demonstra- 
tion that cannot be portrayed. All this loud acclaim, this 
magnificent welcome, told better than words can of the hearty 
admiration of the people for the hero of Santiago, the fearless 
reformer, the wise and brilliant statesman, the Governor of 
our greatest commonwealth, not more distinguished on account 
of his high office than for his sturdy virtues, his lofty ideals and 
noble manhood. 

It is said that people are always looking for a hero, someone 
whom they can idolize and worship. No weak man ever has been, 
or ever can be, thus enthroned in the hearts of the populace. A 



MR. ROOSEVELT ELECTED GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK. 



153 



man, to be a hero, must have qualities that lift him above his 
fellows. He must especially be endowed with courage, that fear- 
less spirit which faces without flinching every danger, whether in 
battle or public life. He must be born to command; he must be 
distinguished by achievements which eclipse the dull glory of 
other men. Roosevelt has climbed to his high position by doing 
well and by faithfully performing his duty in every line of activity. 
This is the kind of man the republic is never slow to honor. 




CHAPTER XI 
ROOSEVELT NOMINATED FOR VICE-PRESIDENT. 

National Republican Convention of 1900 — Enthusiasm for 
Roosevelt — Refuses Nomination for Vice-President — 
Compelled to Yield to Emphatic Demand of the Dele- 
gates — Great Furor over His Nomination— Thrilling 
Extracts from His Speeches— Notified of His Nomina- 
tion—His Remarkable Tour in the Campaign— Elected 
by Enormous Plurality. 

WITH the usual accompaniments of excitement, bustle and 
enthusiasm the Republican National Convention as- 
sembled in Philadelphia, June 19, 1900. From all parts of the 
country, and even from Hawaii came delegates, and many others^ 
who, although not entitled to seats in the convention, counted 
themselves among the faithful, and were eager to be present on 
an occasion of such great moment. 

Public men, entitled to be ranked as veterans, and others of 
more recent celebrity, as well as many would-be statesmen who 
had not yet blossomed into fame, poured into the railway stations, 
thronged the streets and hotels, looked with veneration upon the 
sacred relics and memorials of the historic spot where our nation 
was born, and formed a part of the surging, shouting throng that 
crowded the immense building where the convention was held. 

This building was said to accommodate 15,000 persons; a more 
accurate estimate would be 18,000. At a point farthest from the 
platform, or even much nearer, the voices of the most stentorian 
speakers could scarcely be heard, and to a large part of the as- 
sembled thousands the proceedings of the convention were almost 
a ludicrous pantomine. The opinion was freely expressed that, 
as it was really inconvenient to have a convention hall that would 
take in the entire American people, a building of smaller diinen- 

154 



ROOSEVELT NOMINATED FOR VICE-PRESIDENT. 155 

sions and less ambitious in the matter of size, would have been 
more sensible and better suited to an orderly, dignified assemblage. 
Long before the convention was called to order two certainties 
were plainly apparent. One was that President McKinley would 
be re-nominated by acclamation; the other was that the nomina- 
tion for Vice-President might be given to any one of six or eight 
candidates, each of whom had his friends and supporters. There 
was the usual number of favorite sons, all of whom were willing, 
at a sacrifice, to come to the country's rescue and accept the office 
next to the highest in the gift of the people. And so there was 
wire-pulling, electioneering, formations of cliques and combina- 
tions, and hurrying to and fro to convince delegates from the 
various other States and obtain pledges. It was not surmised at 
the time that all these plans, so nicely laid, would be blown away 
like chaff before the wind by the magic of one name that possessed 
an irresistible power. 

LARGER THAN HIS STATE. 

When Mr. Roosevelt arrived on the ground his presence had 
more meaning than that of any other man. He was Governor of 
New York, but was larger than his State. No territorial limits 
could bound and circumscribe the man. Neither Senator Wolcott 
with his fervid oratory, nor Depew with his brilliant wit and 
rounded periods, nor Lodge with his intellectual acuteness, noi 
Thurston or Fairbanks with their superb rhetoric, nor Secretary 
Long with his grand record, nor sturdy old Mark Hanna with his 
practical sense, counted for so much as the Rough Rider who 
stormed the hill of San Juan. An expression of popular senti- 
ment in favor of Roosevelt from all parts of the country, espe- 
cially the Middle West and West, came rushing in like the waves 
of the sea. 

There were those who would have been willing to place his 
name first on the ticket, but he was too loyal to his chief to tole- 
rate such a proceeding. Besides, he had some projects which, as 
Governor of New York, he wished to carry into effect, and he 
honestly felt that he could serve his party in no other way so well 



156 ROOSEVELT NOMINATED FOR VICE-PRESIDENT. 

as to seek a re-election as Governor, and continue the good work 
he had begun in the Empire State. He stubbornly refused at 
first to listen to the proposition to place his name on the national 
ticket, and was a good deal annoyed at the persistent clamor of 
those delegates who would not take no for an answer. 

The party leaders were not ignorant of his phenomenal pop- 
ularity. It was evident on the surface of political affairs and be- 
low the surface. They could not hide or ignore it. It knocked 
at their very doors; it thrust itself upon them at every turn. They 
wanted a running mate for McKinley who would not be a drag 
upon him, a man who would add strength to the ticket. The two 
shrewdest politicians in the United States, Senators Piatt and 
Quay, favored his nomination after they had carefully looked over 
the situation. He was too independent and headstrong to nod his 
subservience to any political "boss," and it was thought the Vice- 
Presidency would be a comfortable, easy berth for him where he 
would be harmless. 

HUNTING FOR A CANDIDATE. 

There were day conferences, evening conferences; and mid- 
night conferences to canvass the merits of the available candidates, 
but there was no escaping the fact that the Roosevelt sentiment 
was in the very air, and with all his firmness he had no power to 
resist it. 

Speaking of the nomination of some Vice-Presidential candi- 
dates previous to 1896, he said: " It will be noticed that most of 
these evils aiisefrom the fact that the Vice-President, under ordin- 
ary circumstances, possesses so little real power. He presides 
over the Senate, and he has in Washington a position of marked 
social importance; but his political weight as Vice- President is 
almost ml. There is always a chance that he may become Presi- 
dent. As this is only a chance it seems quite impossible to per- 
suade politicians to give it the proper weight. This certainly does 
not seem right. The Vice-President should, so far as possible, 
represent the same views and principles that have secured the 
nomination and election of the President; and he should be a man 



ROOSEVELT NOMINATED FOR VICE-PRESIDENT. 157 

trusted and able in the event of any accident to His chief, to take 
up the work of the latter just where it was left." 

When these words were spoken Mr. Roosevelt did not dream 
that he would ever be one who, by holding the office of Vice-Presi- 
dent, would have a chance to become President, and this view of 
the Vice-Presidency he held consistently at the very time when 
he was nominated at Philadelphia. That he thrust himself out of 
consideration and accepted the nomination against his own wishes 
and better judgment, is ample proof of his deference to the will of 
the people. It was not a question with him as to what he wished, 
but what the public wanted. He was a patriot when he drew his 
sword and led his brave regiment at Santiago; he was no less a 
patriot when he consented to accept an office that he did not want. 

BEGINS WITH A BRILLIANT PARADE. 

The convention began its sessions, June 19th, in Philadelphia. 
On the evening of the 18th there was a brilliant parade of 
25,000 Republicans, comprising the Allied Clubs of Philadelphia, 
and various Republican organizations from near and distant 
cities, that had arrived to attend the convention. The route of 
the parade was made brilliant by colored lights, waving flags and 
bands playing patriotic music. On Tuesday, the 19th, Conven- 
tion Hall took on an animated appearance about 11 o'clock, when 
the seats surrounding the enclosure reserved for the delegates 
began to fill up. The delegates began arriving early, those from 
the Western and Southern States being the first to put in an 
appearance. A notable feature in the gathering of the delegates 
was the very orderly way in which the majority found their seats. 

Governor Roosevelt, Senator Depew, and National Chairman 
Hanna walked down the central aisle just at the noon hour, and 
were by far the leading characters of the gathering celebrities. 
Cheer after cheer rolled out over the great hall for Roosevelt, 
who found his chair close by Senator Piatt. Mr. Depew stood 
aside to allow Hanna to pass, and then took his place with the 
New Yorkers, sitting down with Roosevelt and Senator Brackitt 
of Saratoga. 



158 ROOSEVELT NOMINATED FOR VICE-PRESIDENT. 

Everybody in the hall rose en masse to greet the Rough 
Rider. The arrival of Governor Roosevelt was the occasion of 
the first lively scene in the hall. Instantly the Governor was 
recognized and a cheer went up which continued until the Rough 
Rider reached his seat. People stood on chairs and craned their 
necks to catch a glimpse of the man who was believed to be the 
choice of the convention for Vice-President. 

The interest of the convention and that of the public centred 
in the proceedings of the third day. The preliminaries, includ- 
ing organization, adopting the platform and listening to lauda- 
tions of the party and its splendid achievements, occupied the 
first two days, and it only remained to make the nominations. On 
the morning of the third day, long before 10 o'clock, the hour set 
for the reassembling of the convention, the hall was surrounded 
by an immense army of people, who besieged all the doors and 
entrances, clamoring for admission. When the doors were opened 
they surged like a flood submerging the vast hall. 

STAGE A BIG BOUQUET. 

The stage had been freshened with green things, and at each 
corner, like a touch of flaming color, red peonies shot into the air. 
The band in the north gallery was at work early with inspiring 
music. It was much warmer than on preceding days. The sun 
blazed down through the space in the roof and the heat gave 
promise of being oppressive. But the ladies were attired in their 
thinnest muslins, everybody was provided with a fan, and there 
was no complaint. One old fellow in the gallery, with charming 
disregard of the proprieties, divested himself of coat and vest, 
hung them over the rail, and took his seat. 

Three minutes before 10 o'clock the Kansas delegation, 
headed by Colonel Barton, with bright silk sunflowers pinned to 
their lapels, aroused the first enthusiasm as they marched down 
the main aisle bearing a white banner inscribed in big black 
letters with the words " Kansas is for Roosevelt." As the dele- 
gates debouched into the pit the utmost good nature was mani- 
fested. The contest was over. It was to be a love feast, a jubilee* 



ROOSEVELT NOMINATED FOR VICE-PRESIDENT. 150 

and not a contest, which the day was to witness. Governor 
Roosevelt entered at exactly 10 o'clock. He made a rush for his 
seat, but he did not escape the keen eye of the thousands, and 
they set up a cheer at sight of him. 

One of the questions, as already stated, that agitated the 
convention from the start was, who should be the candidate for 
Vice-President. There was a strong, unanimous feeling in favor 
of Governor Roosevelt, of New York, but he repeatedly expressed 
his wish to have some other man selected, as he wished to be the 
nominee for Governor of the Empire State, and believed that in 
this capacity he could best serve the interests of the party at 
large. 

MANY CONFLICTING REPORTS. 

It was reported that the Administration at Washington had 
preferences for certain men. This again was contradicted, and 
there were so many conflicting reports that on the evening of the 
second day of the convention Senator Hanna, Chairman of 
the Republican National Committee, issued the following 
statement : 

" The Administration has had no candidate for Vice-President. 
It has not been for or against any candidate. It has deemed that 
the convention should select the candidate, and that has been my 
position throughout. It has been a free field for all. In these 
circumstances several eminent Republicans have been proposed ; 
all of them distinguished men, with many friends. I will now 
say that on behalf of all of those candidates, and I except none, I 
have within the last twelve hours been asked to give my advice. 
After consulting with as many delegates as possible in the time 
within my disposal, I have concluded to accept the responsibility 
involved in this request. In the present situation, with the 
strong and earnest sentiment of the delegates from all parts 
of the country for Governor Roosevelt, and since President 
McKinley is to be nominated without a dissenting voice, it is my 
judgment that Governor Roosevelt should be nominated for Vice- 
President with the same unanimity." 



160 ROOSEVELT NOMINATED FOR VICE-PRESIDENT. 

This announcement of Senator Hanna was made after a long 
consultation with many leaders of the party. He called the 
newspaper men into one of the rooms where the consultation had 
taken place and read from manuscript. The effect of this state- 
ment was to cause instant and unanimous agreement among the 
delegates for Roosevelt. 

Senator Foraker's nomination of President McKinley for 
a second term was a prelude to a thunderous storm of acclamations, 
which continued for upward of ten minutes, and it was fully 
fifteen minutes before the applause had so far subsided as to per- 
mit Governor Roosevelt to take the platform and second the 
nomination. Every noise that the human voice is capable of 
producing entered into the uproar — cheers, shrill and guttural and 
deep ; delirious ejaculations, born of excitement and nervousness, 
and that could never be made under ordinary pressure. 

MAGNIFICENT OVATION. 

When the only Vice-Presidential candidate, erect and burly of 
form and spectacled, rose briskly from his seat, it was the signal for 
more applause, which culminated in a magnificent ovation as, 
straight as an arrow, with head thrown back and shoulders 
squared as if on dress parade, the hero of San Juan faced the 
delegates and spectators to reinforce the arguments made by 
Foraker why William McKinley should be renominated. Having 
finally secured the attention of the Convention after many 
deprecating waves of his right hand, New York's chief executive 
proceeded to demonstrate that the Republican party had made no 
mistake in uniting upon him for second place on the ticket. The 
Rough Rider's seconding speech was. a masterful exhibition of 
mental, grammatical and physical virility. Roosevelt struck out 
straight from the shoulder, landing many blows calculated to jar the 
Democratic party. He went to the very core of the great ques- 
tions of the day with a directness that delighted his hearers. 

He closed his virile, masterly speech, seconding the nomina- 
tion of McKinley, as follows : 

"We stand on the threshold of a new century, a century big 



ROOSEVELT NOMINATED FOR VICE-PRESIDENT. 161 

with the fate of the great nations of the earth. It rests with us now 
to decide whether, in the opening years of that century, we shall 
march forward to fresh triumphs, or whether, at the outset, we 
shall deliberately cripple ourselves for the contest. Is America 
a weakling, to shrink from the world work that must be done by 
the world powers ? No. The young giant of the West stands on 
a continent that clasps the crest of an ocean in either hand. 
Our nation, glorious in youth and strength, looks into the future 
with fearless and eager eyes, aud rejoices as a strong man to run 
a race. We do not stand in craven mood, asking to be spared the 
task, cringing as we gaze on the contest. No. We challenge the 
proud privilege of doing the work that Providence allots us, and 
we face the coming years high of heart and resolute of faith that 
to our people is given the right to win such honor and renown as 
has never yet been granted to the peoples of mankind." 

ROOSEVELT PUT IN NOMINATION. 

The furor over the nomination of McKinley having subsided, 
the next in order was the nomination of Roosevelt for Vice-Presi- 
dent. Senator Depew, of New York, had been selected for this 
purpose. The favor with which he was regarded by the immense 
assemblage was shown in the loud calls that brought him to the 
platform. He was in his happiest mood. His speech, brim- 
ming over with eloquent passages, spicy sayings and pow- 
erful appeals, was like an explosion of fireworks, and kept the 
multitude in constant excitement and hilarity, which was evi- 
denced by loud and repeated cheers and acclamations. The 
enthusiasm for the hero of Santiago was at fever heat and no at- 
tempt was made to suppress it. 

The speech closed as follows : " We have the best ticket ever 
presented. (Applause.) We have at the head of it a Western 
man with Eastern notions, and we have at the other end an East- 
ern man with Western character. (Loud applause.) The statesman 
and the cowboy. The accomplished man of affairs and the heroic 
fighter. The man who has proved great as President, and the 
fighter who has proved great as Governor. (Applause.) We leave 

11— T.B. 



162 ROOSEVELT NOMINATED FOR VICE-PRESIDENT. 

this old town simply to keep on shouting and working to make it 
unanimous for McKinley and Roosevelt." 

When the roll of States was called, it is needless to say every 
delegate voted for Roosevelt with one exception, and that was 
himself. A demonstration of the wildest and most enthusiastic 
character, and lasting half an hour, followed the announcement 
that Roosevelt was the nominee for Vice-President. Palms were 
waved, the standards of the various delegations were hurried to 
the platform, the band attempted to make itself heard amid the 
loud acclaim, processions of excited, cheering delegates marched 
up and down the aisles, the building rang with shouts and the 
popular New York Governor was congratulated by as many as 
could get within reach of him. 

OFFICIALLY NOTIFIED OF NOMINATION. 

Governor Roosevelt was officially notified of his nomination 
for the Vice-Presidency at his country home, Sagamore, near Oys- 
ter Bay. Shortly after 12 o'clock Senator Wolcott called the com- 
mittee to the porch. There in the cool shade of the awnings 
and vines he read the formal notification in his clear and resonant 
voice. When Senator Wolcott concluded Governor Roosevelt 
stepped a pace forward and replied. His voice was clear and firm, 
and as he proceeded there were numerous interruptions of ap- 
plause. He said : 

" Mr. Chairman : — I accept the honor conferred upon me with 
the keenest and deepest appreciatiou of what it means, and above 
all of the responsibility that goes with it. Everything that it is 
in my power to do will be done to secure the re-election of Presi- 
dent McKinley, to whom it has been given in this crisis of the 
national history to stand for and embody the principles which lie 
closest to the heart of every American worthy of the name. 

" This is very much more than a mere party contest. We 
stand at the parting of the ways, and the people have now to de- 
cide whether they shall go forward along the path of prosperity 
and high honor abroad, or whether they will turn their backs upon 
what has been done during the past three years ; whether they 



ROOSEVELT NOMINATED FOR VICE-PRESIDENT. 163 

will plunge this country into an abyss of misery and disaster, 01 
what is worse than even misery and disaster — shame. 

" I feel that we have a right to appeal not merely to Re- 
publicans, but to all good citizens, no matter what may have beeu 
their party affiliations in the past, and to ask them on the strength 
of the record that President McKinley has made during the past 
three years, and on the strength of the threat implied in what was 
done at Kansas City a few days ago, to stand shoulder to shoulder 
with us, perpetuating the conditions under which we have reached 
a degree of prosperity never before attained in the nation's history 
and under which, abroad, we have put the American flag on a 
level where it never before in the history of the country has been 
placed. 

A FIGHT FOR THE HONOR OF THE FLAG. 

" For these reasons I feel we have a right to look forward with 
confident expectation to what the verdict of the people will be next 
November, and to ask all men to whom the well being of the 
country and the honor of the national name are dear, to stand with 
us as we fight for prosperity at home and the honor of the flag 
abroad." 

A round of applause broke out as the Governor concluded 
but he checked it instantly by saying : 

" Gentlemen, one moment, please. Here, Ned," he cried to 
Senator Wolcott, "this is not to the national committee, but I 
want to say this to my friends. Friends of my own State who are 
here, just let me say how I appreciate seeing so many of you here 
to-day. I want to say I am more than honored and pleased at 
having been made a candidate for Vice-President on the national 
ticket, but you cannot imagine how badly I feel at leaving the 
men with whom I have endeavored and worked for civic decency 
and righteousness and honesty in New York." 

Mr. Roosevelt entered, heart and soul, into the campaign that 
followed his nomination. He was the one "spell-binder" whc 
was in demand. The whole country wished to see and hear him. 
With a special train he traversed many States, faced millions of 



164 ROOSEVELT NOMINATED FOR VICE-PRESIDENT. 

people, delivered speeches in wigwams and public halls, and from 
the rear end of his car addressed the multitudes who gathered 
wherever it was known he was to make a stop. He proved him- 
self to be a most effective campaign orator, as he had done before, 
and his personal efforts largely aided in securing the overwhelm- 
ing plurality by which he and McKinley were elected. 

His manner on the stump was hearty and cordial. His talks 
were plain, forcible, evidently sincere, and infused with good old- 
fashioned commonsense. He spoke because he had something 
worth saying. He did not come before people as a ranter, or a 
politician. Lofty views of American citizenship and the duties of 
every American toward his country, pervaded all his public 
utterances. His trip through the States, was like a triumphal 
progress, and the same enthusiasm that aroused the National 
Convention at the name of "Teddy" greeted him everywhere. 




CHAPTER XII 
SUDDENLY CALLED TO BE PRESIDENT. 

Secures the People's Confidence — Doubts Soon Dispelled — 
Sworn in as President— First Official Acts— Requests 
the Members of the Cabinet to Retain Office— Pathetic 
Scenes at Buffalo — New President to Continue the 
Policy of His Predecessor — An Estimate of His Character 
and Ability — Encounters at the Outset Grave Political 
Problems — Views Concerning Cuba and the Philippines. 

"PHE appalling tragedy that ended the life of President McKinley, 
I at the very summit of his fame and usefulness, summoned 
Mr. Roosevelt to the Presidency of the United States. It was a 
dark day for our country when the fatal shot was fired that struck 
down a President who was universally admired and beloved, and 
who, it was fondly thought, had not an enemy on earth. 

Instantly the nation turned to his successor with a feeling 
both of relief and apprehension. The vast responsibility and the 
call for the wisest statesmanship suddenly thrust upon him, and 
the fact that he was now to guide the destinies of the republic, 
caused grave fears in the minds of thoughtful people, and an 
anxiety which, under the circumstances, was but natural and in- 
evitable. At the same time, his public record was such as to go 
far toward creating the utmost confidence in his ability to cope 
with the sudden and extraordinary crisis. No one doubted the 
purity of his intentions, the honesty of his convictions, or his 
conscientious purpose to make good the loss sustained by the 
country, and to carry forward the policies advocated by his prede- 
cessor. 

Although some vague doubts were expressed, and men ques- 
tioned one another as to whether Mr. Roosevelt would prove equal 
to the emergency, there were no signs of panic in the world of 

165 



166 SUDDENLY CALLED TO BE PRESIDENT. 

finance, or slowing up of the wheels "of industry. With a self- 
confidence which has often been ridiculed as Yankee boasting, it 
was believed the country could take care of itself, and its new 
chief executive would superbly meet every demand. Public opin- 
ion was soon enlisted in his support, the timid ones were reassured, 
and the overwhelming sorrow and sense of bereavement that fol- 
lowed the assassination of one President gradually gave way to a 
feeling of thankfulness that another so competent and trustworthy 
was now at the head of our national affairs. 

HOPES SUDDENLY BLASTED. 

The mournful event that placed Mr. Roosevelt in the White 
House was as unexpected by him as it was by the nation at large. 
The crack of the assassin's pistol rang through the whole world 
with startling effect. No one was prepared for the thrilling 
tragedy. As is well known, hopes were entertained for President 
McKinley's recovery. For a whole week his condition was re- 
ported by the attending physicians as perfectly satisfactory, and 
there was every indication that his wound would not prove fatal. 
The bulletins expressed a hope that amounted almost to a certainty, 
and stated only a short time before his death, that all danger was past. 
The bullet had not been extracted, but the illustrious patient's 
symptoms and general condition gave every promise of complete 
recovery. 

Then came the sudden change for the worse. The ghastly 
reaper who strikes down rulers and peasants alike, with unpitying 
celerity made sure of his victim. Hope went out in darkness and 
delusive promises were mercilessly broken. The civilized world 
felt the shock. It was a time for awe and silence. 

Hon. Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as President of the 
United States at 3.36 o'clock on the afternoon of Saturday, Sep- 
tember 14th. Standing in a low-ceiled, narrow room in the quaint 
old mansion occupied by Ansley Wilcox, in the fashionable part 
of Delaware Avenue, the aristocratic thoroughfare of Buffalo, Mr. 
Roosevelt swore to administer the laws of the Government oJ 
which he is now the head. He stood erect, holding his right 



SUDDENLY CALLED TO BE PRESIDENT. 167 

hand high above his head. His massive shoulders were thrown 
well back, as, with his head inclined a little forward, he repeated 
the form of the oath of office in clear, distinct tones, that fell 
impressively upon the ears of the forty-three persons grouped 
about the room, 

His face was a study in earnestness and determination, as he 
uttered the words which made him President of the United States. 
His face was much paler than it was wont to be, and his eyes, 
though bright and steady, gleamed mistily through his big-bowed 
gold spectacles. His attire was sombre and modest. A well-fit- 
ting worsted frock coat draped his athletic figure almost to the 
knees. His trousers were dark gray, with pinstripes. A thin 
skein of golden chain looped from the two lower pockets of his 
waistcoat. While he was waiting for the ceremony he toyed with 
this chain with his right hand. 

PICTURESQUE LITTLE ROOM. 

The place selected for the ceremony of taking the oath was 
the library of Mr. Wilcox's house, a rather small rooni, but pic- 
turesque, the heavy oak trimmings and the massive bookcases 
giving it somewhat the appearance of a legal den. A pretty bay 
window with stained glass and heavy hangings formed a back- 
ground, and against this the President took his position. 

Judge Hazel stood near the President in the bay window, and 
the latter showed his extreme nervousness by plucking at the 
lapel of his long frock coat and nervously tapping the hardwood 
floor with his heel. He stepped over once to Secretary Root, and 
for about five minutes they conversed earnestly. The question 
at issue was whether the President should first sign an oath of 
office and then swear in or whether he should swear in first and 
sign the document in the case after. 

At precisely 3.32 o'clock Secretary Root ceased his conversa- 
tion with the President, and, stepping back, while an absolute hush 
fell upon everyone in the room, said in an almost inaudible voice: 

" Mr. Vice-President, I " Then his voice broke, and for 

fully two minutes the tears came down his face and his ljps qiriv 



168 SUDDENLY CALLED TO BE PRESIDENT. 

ered, so that he could not continue his utterances. There were 
sympathetic tears from those about him, and two great drops ran 
down either cheek of the successor of William McKinley. Mr. 
Root's chin was on his breast. Suddenly throwing back his head, 
as if with an effort, he continued in broken voice : 

" I have been requested, on behalf of the Cabinet of the late 
President, at least those who are present in Buffalo, all except 
two, to request that for reasons of weight affecting the affairs of 
government, you should proceed to take the constitutional oath of 
office of President of the United States." 

Judge Hazel had stepped to the rear of the President, and 
Mr. Roosevelt, coming closer to Secretar}?- Root, said, in a voice 
that at first wavered, but finally came deep and strong, while, as 
if to control his nervousness, he held firmly to the lapel of his 
coat with his right hand : 

M'KINLEY'S POLICIES TO BE CONTINUED. 

" I shall take the oath at once in accordance with your request, 
and in this hour of deep and terrible national bereavement I wish 
to state that it shall be my aim to continue absolutely unbroken 
the policy of President McKinley for the peace and prosperity and 
honor of our beloved country." 

The President stepped farther into the bay window, and 
Judge Hazel, taking up the constitutional oath of office, which had 
been prepared on parchment, asked the President to raise his right 
hand and repeat it after him. There was a hush like death in the 
room as the Judge read a few words at a time, and the President, 
in a strong voice and without a tremor, and with his raised hand 
as steady as if carved from marble, repeated it after him. 

"And thus I swear," he ended it. The hand dropped by his 
side, the chin for an instant rested on the breast, and the silence 
remained unbroken for a couple of minutes, as though the new 
President of the United States was offering silent prayer for help 
and guidance. 

Judge Hazel broke the silence, saying: " Mr. President, 
please attach your signature." And the President, turning to a 



SUDDENLY CALLED TO BE PRESIDENT. 169 

small table near-by, wrote "Theodore Roosevelt" at the bottom 
of the document in a firm hand. 

"I should like to see the members of the Cabinet a few 
moments after the others retire," said the President, and this was 
the signal for the score of the people, who had been favored by- 
witnessing the ceremony, to retire. 

As they turned to go the President said : U I will shake hands 
with you people, gladly," and, with something of his old smile 
returning, he first shook hands with the members of the Cabinet 
present, then Senator Depew and finally with a few guests and 
newspaper men. 

MEMBERS OF CABINET REMAIN. 

At a meeting of the Cabinet in the afternoon, President 
Roosevelt requested that the members retain their positions, at 
least for the present, and they promised that they would do so. 
He also received assurances that Secretaries Hay and Gage, who 
were absent, would remain for the time being. The first official 
act of President Roosevelt was the issuing of the following proc- 
lamation, the appropriateness and felicitous expression of which 
could not be improved. 

"By the President of the United States of America, a procla- 
mation : 

"A terrible bereavement has befallen our people. The Pres- 
ident of the United States has been struck down ; a crime com- 
mitted not only against the Chief Magistrate, but against every 
law-abiding and liberty-loving citizen. 

" President McKinley crowned a life of largest love for his 
fellowmen, of most earnest endeavor for their welfare, by a death 
of Christian fortitude ; and both the way in which he lived his 
life and the way in which, in the supreme hour of trial, he met 
his death, will remain forever a precious heritage of our people. 

" It is meet that we, as a nation, express our abiding love and 
reverence for his life, our deep sorrow for his untimely death. 

" Now, therefore, I, Theodore Roosevelt, President of the 
United States of America, do appoint Thursday next, September 



!70 



SUDDENLY CALLED TO BE PRESIDENT. 



19, the day in which the body of the dead President will be laid 
in its last earthly resting place, as a day of mourning and prayer 
throughout the United States. I earnestly recommend all the 
people to assemble in their respective places of divine worship, 
there to bow down in submission to the will of Almighty God, 
and to pay out of full hearts their homage of love and reverence 
to the great and good President, whose death has smitten the 
nation with bitter grief. 

" In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused 
the seal of the United States to be affixed. 

" Done at the city of Washington, the 14th day of September, 
A. D., one thousand nine hundred and one, and of the Independ- 
ence of the United States the one hundred and twenty-sixth. 

"(Seal.) THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 

" By the President, 

"JOHN HAY, Secretary of State." 



CHAPTER XIII 
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S ADMINISTRATION. 

Beginning of His Life as Chief Executive — Grave Public Ques" 
tions — Policy of McKinley — Assault Made on Reciproc- 
ity — Opposition to Treaties — Panama Canal — Pacific 
Cable — His Excellent Appointments — Factions in Illinois 
— Attitude on Trusts — Northern Securities Case — Pen- 
sion Order. 

WHEN Theodore Roosevelt was yet Vice President and had no 
thought that he would succeed to the Presidency of the 
nation through the death of William McKinley, he said: — " I am 
going to be a candidate for President. I shall do the very best I 
can to obtain that nomination. But if I do not get it I shall accept 
the result cheerfully, and although it will be a great disappoint- 
ment to me should I fail to be the candidate of my party, I shall 
not sulk nor let it embitter my life." 

Mr. Roosevelt made this statement at the house of Mr. Ans- 
ley Wilcox at Buffalo, in September, 1901, when he was packing 
up, preparing to leave for the Adirondacks. President McKinley 
had been shot a few days before and on that day the physicians 
had given the opinion that he would recover. The whole country 
breathed a sigh of relief and no one felt more joyful than Mr. 
Roosevelt. The man was supremely happy that the Presidency 
was not going to come to him through the assassin's bullet 

"To become President in this way," he had said, "means 
nothing to me. Aside from the horror of having President McKin- 
ley die, there is an additional horror in becoming his successor in 
that way. The thing that appeals to me is to be elected Presi- 
dent. That is the way I want the honor to come, if I am ever to 
receive it." 

Mr. Roosevelt went to the Adirondacks. When there* Mr. 

171 



172 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S ADMINISTRATION. 

McKinley took a sudden change for the worse and died while the 
Vice President was on his way back to Buffalo to take the oath 
and assume the responsibilities of the office of President. 

This is to be an account of the administration of Mr. Roose- 
velt from the middle of September, 1901, to the present time, 
with some idea of how his different administrative acts have 
affected his relations with the country and the politicians and the 
bearing these will have upon his chances of election on November 8. 

The stewardship of President Roosevelt began with that im- 
pressive scene in the Wilcox parlor at Buffalo when he raised his 
hand and said, " I will do all in my power to carry out absolutely 
unbroken the policy of William McKinley." 

GREAT QUESTIONS TO BE SETTLED. 

Mr. Roosevelt began his administration with a session of 
Congress only a little more than two months distant. Several 
large questions were pressing on the country. Mr, McKinley had 
already begun to handle them. One of these was the Pan-Ameri- 
can Canal, Another was reciprocity with Cuba. Still another was 
the laying of the Pacific cable. Yet another was the extension of 
the American merchant marine, and finally, one considered by Mr. 
McKinley of the greatest importance, was a change in our tariff 
system, especially as it affected the extension of our foreign com- 
merce so that duties might be lowered and reciprocal trade rela- 
tions established. 

All these things were touched upon by Mr. McKinley 
in his speech at Buffalo, It will be instructive to every 
American to occasionally read that speech. 

McKinley dwelt at great length on the subject of reciprocity. 
It is evident that he intended this speech as a sort of first step in 
reaching a goal which even to him did not appear at that time very 
definite. He foresaw the drooping of American exports. He fore- 
saw the shrinking of customs revenues from foreign imports. He 
seemed to discern very quickly that the Dingley schedules could 
not become permanent and that there must be elasticity in our 
schedules and that the high tariff must be lowered. 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S ADMINISTRATION. 173 

But he was not very clear as to the method he would follow. 
He was very certain that the day of exclusiveness was past. He 
made that statement without any qualification. But he also still 
adhered to the thought that we must have protection for those 
things that we produce in competition with other countries, and 
at the same time declared that there might safely be on some 
articles of production a reduction in customs duties. 

The very obstacle which President Roosevelt encountered in 
carrying out the policy of William McKinley came from the high 
protective tariff men — from the " stand patters," who would let 
well enough alone. 

ASSAULT ON RECIPROCITY. 

The assault was first made on reciprocity. A number of these 
treaties were pending in the Senate. Mr. McKinley and John 
Hay had appointed John A. Kasson a commissioner to negotiate 
these treaties. They were with France, with Argentina, with 
a number of the British colonies, in all seven or eight of 
them. The Senate refused to ratify the treaties. Mr, McKinley, 
and Mr. Hay had both despaired of getting them through the 
Senate, and Mr. Kasson had refused to accept any salary from the 
United States because his work could not be ratified in the Senate. 

The protectionists swooped down on the new President in a 
desperate effort to bury the treaties, which were conceded to be 
already dead. Mr. Roosevelt, the very first work of his adminis- 
tration, declared that he was going to do everything he could to 
have the treaties ratified, but he even at that early day was be- 
ginning to see the hopelessness of the task of standing up against 
the solid phalanx of the Senate, In the end the reciprocity trea- 
ties were dropped, with the exception of that which gave Cuba a 
reduction in duties on her products in return for a similar reduc- 
tion on American products. 

The first great contest the President had crystallized around 
the Cuban treaty. There was no question that the United States 
was in honor bound to ratify this treaty. President McKinley 
was committed to it. So were Secretary of War Root, Secretary of 



174 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S ADMINISTRATION. 

State Hay, Senators Lodge, Piatt (of Connecticut), Aldrich, Allison, 
Spooner, and in fact, all the so called leaders of the Senate. The 
President's fight for Cuba lasted through the entire session of 
1901-02, necessitating the calling of an extra session in November, 
1903, and was not finally won until the regular session had begun 
the following December. 

The President never swerved in his efforts to obtain an 
isthmian canal. The platform on which McKinley and Roosevelt 
were elected declared for the construction of a canal via the Isth- 
mus of Panama, and did not indorse the Nicaragua route. Mr. 
Roosevelt before he had been in office many months was convinced 
that either route was feasible. He made a speech at a private 
dinner in which he said that he would sooner have a canal by 
either route than no canal at all. 

CANAL MUST BE CONSTRUCTED. 

The selection of the Panama route was made by Congress, 
but the bill which provided for it contained an alternative prop- 
osition that if certain conditions could not be complied with the 
government should build the canal via Nicaragua. 

The whole question of the choice of routes seemed to depend 
upon the ratification of Colombia by a treaty. The Colombians 
refused to ratify that treaty, although they were repeatedly 
warned that if they did not do so serious consequences were 
likely to ensue. President Roosevelt was determined that no 
South American Republic should stand in the way of manifest 
destiny, and he was equally determined that the canal should be 
begun during his administration, and if possible before the Re- 
publican National Convention met. 

Then came the revolution in Panama. It was " capitalized" 
by persons who had an interest in disposing of the franchises and 
property of the new Panama Canal Company to the United States 
for $40,000,000, and a new government was proclaimed on it. 
There is no doubt, however, that every person on the isthmus 
favored the movement. 

It has been charged that President Roosevelt connived at this 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S ADMINISTRATION. 175 

revolution. It is certain that this government had given the 
government of Colombia ample warning that something might 
occur. It is also true that Senator Cullom, Chairman of the 
Committee on Foreign Relations, after an interview with the 
President at Oyster Bay last year, said : — " If we do not get a 
canal treaty with Colombia we may be able to make one with 
Panama." 

Be that as it may, Panama declared her independence. She 
was recognized as an independent republic by the United States 
in about three days. Then the treaty empowering the United 
States to keep open the isthmus pathway was invoked. United 
States men-of-war prevented the landing of Colombian troops and 
by a show of force prevented Colombia from reconquering the re- 
volting province. 

THE PRESIDENT JUSTIFIED. 

The justification of the President by his spokesmen for this 
action is the frank assertion that Colombia had never acted in 
faith with us, was endeavoring to use the methods of an interna- 
tional brigand, and that the United States was acting clearly in 
the interests of the whole world in seizing this opportunity to 
obtain the canal. 

In the matter of a Pacific cable, President Roosevelt's admin- 
istration carried out the policy of President McKinley, and San 
Francisco is now connected by an ail-American line with the 
Philippines, and is soon to be connected with China and Japan. 

But in the plan of McKinley to obtain subsidy for a merchant- 
marine, no headway whatever has been made. The principal ad- 
vocate of that measure, Senator Hanna, is dead. A commission 
has been appointed to make exhaustive inquiry, and the subject 
will undoubtedly come up in the next Congress, because a ship 
subsidy is indorsed by the Republican national platform. 

So much for the principal points in the policy of President 
McKinley, as enumerated in his last speech. It becomes neces- 
sary to consider the actions of the President aside from those mat- 
ters which bear directly on McKinley's policy. 



|76 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S ADMINISTRATION. 

In many respects Mr. Roosevelt has mapped out a policy of 
his own. He entered the White House as a leading exponent in 
the United States of high principles in politics. It was to be 
assumed that President Roosevelt, in making appointments, 
would endeavor to obtain the very highest type and only consider 
moral rectitude and mental capacity. It was to be assumed that 
he would also hold himself strictly within the law. 

The first serious problem which confronted the President was 
the appointment of Federal officers in New York. The terms of 
Collector Bi dwell and Wilbur F. Wakeman were about to expire. 
Mr. Bidwell was warmly supported by Senator Piatt for reappoint- 
ment. Mr. Wakeman's dismissal from the service was desired by 
Senator Piatt. Against Mr. Bidwell charges had been filed. Mr. 
Wakeman had also been charged with being a mischief maker and 
with enforcing the law too strictly. 

EXTENSIVE FRATTDS EXPOSED. 

But he had rendered a peculiar Rooseveltian service in expos- 
ing the most extensive frauds in the customs known for genera- 
tions against the united opposition of the Treasury Department, 
including Mr. Bidwell. The President decided that Wakeman 
should be sacrificed as well as Bidwell, and the change was made. 

The President appointed James S.Clarkson, who was regarded 
as a spoilsman when he was Assistant Postmaster General under 
President Harrison, to the position of Surveyor of the Port. He 
made Mr, Clarkson his confidential adviser as to the use of pat- 
ronage in the South for the purpose of breaking down opposition 
to him there and obtaining Southern delegates. 

When the exposures of abuse in the Post Office Department 
intimated that not only was Postmaster Van Cott incompetent, but 
that Richard Van Cott, the Postmaster's son, had frequently as- 
sumed the functions of Postmaster, and had been very close to 
George W. Beavers, the President 3-ielded to Senator Piatt and 
kept Van Cott in office. He merely required the resignation of 
Richard Van Cott. 

When a great fight arose in the city of Chicago between the 




£* 2 




MRS. ROOSEVELT AND QUENTIN, WHEN A BABY. 
THE IDEAL AMERICAN MOTHER. 




THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 
When Police Commissioner. 




Photo I. F. S. 
THEODORE ROOSEVELT WHEN A HARVARD COLLEGE STUDENT. 




COLONEL ROOSEVELT AT THE AGE OF THIRTY 




PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT DISCUSSING THE COAL STRIKE WITH THE 
OPERATORS AND MINERS' REPRESENTATIVES AT WASHINGTON 




COLONEL ROuSEVELT IN A WRIGHT AEROPLANE AT ST. LOUIb. 
Archibald Hoxsey, who carried the Colonel twice around the Park, a 
distance of Ar% miles, is seen talking to Mr. Roosevelt, who was most 
enthusiastic .over his experience, declaring he never felt a bit of fear. 
This picture shows the Colonel as he took his seat. Before starting he 
took off his hat and put on a cap. 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S ADMINISTRATION. 177 

faction headed by Senators Hopkins and Culloin and Representa- 
tive Lorimer and that headed by Charles S. Deneen the President 
permitted the Federal patronage to be used to strengthen the ma- 
chine. A year before in a similar fight he had ordered "hands 
off ; " now he changed. 

This patronage was used directly to crush Mr. Deneen, who 
was an independent Republican and who had made a great record 
as State's Attorney for Cook county. 

The widely known " Doc " Jamison, was appointed Collector 
of the Port of Chicago at the request of the " Federal crowd." It 
roused great public indignation in Chicago, and the result was 
that a revolt was started against Jamison in his own ward which 
defeated him as a candidate for Alderman, defeated him as a dele- 
gate to the State Convention and left him absolutely without any 
local following. 

STANDARD OF OFFICIALS RAISED. 

Independents and reformers freely admit that generally the 
efforts of the President have tended to raise the standard of men 
in office. But scattered all over the country here and there are 
cases like those of Jamison in Chicago and Van Cott in New 
York. 

The President's attitude on trusts was the subject of wide 
discussion during the campaign. This is a subject to which Mr. 
Roosevelt early gave attention. 

As Governor of New York he shocked Senator Piatt, B. B. 
Odell, Jr., and the late Charles W. Hackett by insisting on writ- 
ing a message in which he brought to the very forefront the dis- 
cussion of the overcapitalization of corporations and the amalga- 
mation of other corporations for the purpose of cheapening pro- 
duction and raising prices. He followed this up as a candidate 
for Vice President in his letter of acceptance and in a speech de- 
livered at Minneapolis after he was elected Vice President. 

When he succeeded to the Presidency he began to devote his 
attention to this subject. If this was a part of the polic}^ of Wil- 
liam McKinley, William McKinley had never disclosed it. The 

12— T.R, 



178 PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S ADMINISTRATION. 

question of the regulation of trusts, however, had figured con- 
spicuously in the platform of 1900. 

President Roosevelt in his first message made strong recom- 
mendations in favor of the adoption of a scheme to compel corpor- 
ations doing an interstate commerce business to make public 
statements of their internal affairs, so that the public when invest- 
ing could be advised as to how much stock was water, how much 
the fixed charges were and whether dividends would ever be paid. 
He was also in favor of a law which would require their regulation 
by Congress in addition to that imposed by the Sherman Anti- 
Trust law. 

At that time the general opinion of lawyers was that the 
Sherman Anti-Trust law was unconstitutional. Mr. Roosevelt 
went so far as to say that if the Sherman law was unconstitutional 
we ought to have an amendment to the constitution. 

STANDING "PAT" ON THE TRUSTS. 

The President's advisers in Congress were unanimous almost 
in favor of doing nothing about the .rusts. They wanted to 
"stand pat" on the trusts as well as on the tariff. The President 
kept at it. The longer the President insisted the stronger the 
opposition became. Finally an opportunity for action came which 
was to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Sherman Anti-Trust 
law, and have a great bearing on the trust policy in Congress. 

Attorney-General Knox began injunction proceedings against 
the Beef Trust. The injunction was sustained, and the Beef 
Trust was, theoretically at least " put out of business." 

Then the President ordered Air. Knox to take up the cudgels 
against the Northern Securities Company. Judge Thayer and 
subsequently the Judges of the Court of Appeals took an advanced 
view of the Sherman i\nti-Trust law, and wrote a new page in 
legal history. With these decisions passed any necessity for any 
further amendment of the Sherman Anti-Trust law. Then came 
a compromise of the President with the trusts. 

This compromise consisted in a definite abandonment of the 
essential principles of the President's publicity programme. He 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S ADMINISTRATION. 179 

consented to have that feature of his great propaganda covered 
in a paragraph inserted in the bill creating the new Department of 
Commerce and Labor, which erected a Bureau of Corporations that 
would have power to examine into all questions relating to cor- 
porations in this country. 

The only purpose of this new bureau was to collect data for 
the information of the President, which could be made public or 
not at the option of the President, and which should be used by 
him in making recommendations to Congress for future legisla- 
tion. Another part of the trust programme was a bill to expedite 
suits such as the Northern Securities merger, so an early decision 
could be obtained in the Supreme Court. 

« 

INTERSTATE COMMERCE LAW. 

Still another phase of it was an amendment to the Interstate 
Commerce law, by which railroad officials were relieved of all 
criminal prosecution for giving rebates and permitting secret rates 
to favored shippers. 

Undoubtedly the President's position on the trust question 
has aroused deep resentment for him on the part of many great 
capitalists of the country, so the things he has done must have 
hurt their feelings. The great banks of the country have become 
very much interested in the exploitation of industrial corporations. 
Indeed, it might be said that the organizers of these great trusts 
dominate the money market. 

These banks have their ramifications all over the country, 
and it was expected that in the campaign every small banker from 
the Atlantic to the Pacific would be either indifferent toward the 
election of President Roosevelt or openly hostile. 

President Roosevelt shocked a great many thoughtful persons 
when he authorized the Secretary of the Interior to issue the 
famous pension order. It is charged that the President in doing 
this usurped the power of Congress and took the position that he 
was law and government of himself. 

The President was very anxious to please the Grand Army 
veterans. They have been a constant source of danger to the 



180 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S ADMINISTRATION. 



Republican party, because their entire incentive to organization 
is a large pension for every man who fought for his country during 
the Civil War. The Grand Army had insisted on the dismissal 
from service of H. Clay Evans, of Tennessee, who has the record 
of being one of the best Commissioners of Pensions that ever 
served under a Republican administration. 

President Roosevelt finally consented to accept Mr. Evans' 





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PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT AND HIS SON THEODORE, Jr. 

resignation, but he gave him the position of Consul General at 
London, where his income was several times what it was in 
Washington, 

The Grand Arm}'- went to Washington to demand a service 
pension. A bill was drawn which would give every survivor of 
the Civil War who had reached the age of sixty-two years, whether 
he was wholly or partially disabled or not disabled at all, a service 



PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT'S ADMINISTRATION. 181 

pension. This would have cost the Government twenty or thirty 
million dollars a year. Some estimates have placed it as high as 
fifty million dollars a year. The leaders in Congress created a 
situation which made them declare that they could not pass the 
service pension bill. Someone in Washington conceived the idea 
of a service pension by executive order. 

It was recalled that President Cleveland had issued an order 
which gave a service pension to all the surviving veterans 
of the Mexican War. The assumption was that the law gave 
the commissioners of pensions authority to assume that when a 
veteran had reached the age of sixty-two years he was partially 
disabled. The executive order recognized age as disability, and 
the Mexican War veterans got pensions without examination. 

President Roosevelt's service pension order followed the 
lines of President Cleveland's. There was no question in any of 
the explanations as to whether it was right or wrong to thus take 
money out of the public treasury while a bill was pending in 
Congress. The whole consideration seemed to be that if Cleve- 
land had done it Roosevelt could do it. And if Roosevelt didn't 
do it Congress could be forced to pass a bill which would cost the 
treasury a much larger sum. 

This incident was used during the campaign to strengthen 
the Democratic armament that Roosevelt is an "impulsive, 
dangerous man," and the " living embodiment of one man 
power." 

But his friends triumphantly ask what he has done to give 
him this reputation, and claim that he has acted all along in such 
a wise and conservative way that the country takes no stock in 
the " impulse " outcry. 

Taking President Roosevelt's administration from first to 
last, it is claimed by his party that he ranks with the greatest 
Presidents our country has ever had. 



CHAPTER XIV 
ROOSEVELT TRIUMPHANTLY ELECTED. 

The Roosevelt Administration — Conspicuous Acts — Not- 
able Achievements — A Quiet Campaign — The Minds of 
Voters Made Up — Roosevelt Elected by an Over- 
whelming Majority — Great Tidal Wave — Splendid 
Tribute to the Man Himself — Visit to St. Louis. 

TN his masterly speech at the National Republican Convention 
* in Chicago, Hon. Elihu Root summed up in a few words the 
achievements of Mr. Roosevelt's administration of three years and 
a half, following the assassination of President McKinley. Words 
of glowing eulogy were spoken in that Convention, but these were 
tame and empty compared with the conspicuous deeds by which 
Mr. Roosevelt's administration was distinguished. There was 
unanimous agreement with Mr. Root's statement of what had been 
accomplished under the vigorous leadership of the President, and 
there was no disposition to belittle the acts upon which the 
government based its claim for the continued confidence of the 
people. 

Mr. Root declared : " The present administration has reduced 
taxation, reduced the public debt, reduced the annual interest 
charge, made effective progress in the regulation of trusts, fostered 
business, promoted agriculture, built up the navy, reorganized the 
army, resurrected the military system, inaugurated a new policy 
for the preservation and reclamation of public lands, given civil 
government to the Philippines, established the Republic of Cuba, 
bound it to us by ties of gratitude, of commercial interest and of 
common defence, swung open the closed gateway of the Isthmus, 
strengthened the Monroe Doctrine, ended the Alaska boundary 
dispute, protected the integrity of China, opened wider its doors of 

182 



ROOSEVELT TRIUMPHANTLY ELECTED. 181 

trade, advanced the principle of arbitration and promoted peact 
among the nations. 

" We challenge judgment upon this record of effective per- 
formance in legislation, in execution and in administration." 

The great Republican party felt that this was a truthful esti. 
mate of what had been accomplishe4, and justly claimed the ap. 
proval of all classes of our citizens. 

This approval was evident from the very beginning of the 
campaign. There was little need of discussion. Like granite 
pillars in the affairs of the nation stood the acts by which the 
government at Washington was to be judged. The country had 
been well informed as to the current of Federal legislation. 

EFFORTS TO INFLUENCE VOTERS. 

There was, therefore, little to do in the campaign except fot 
the party leaders to hold their voters in line and fire them with 
sufficient enthusiasm to bring them to the polls on election day. 
However, the usual campaign methods were resorted to and vigor- 
ous attempts were made to influence voters. In the newspaper 
press and on the public platform, the issues of the contest were 
thoroughly discussed. More and more it became evident that, 
without any help, the voters had made up their minds, and only 
awaited the day when they would give formal expression to their 
views at the ballot box. 

This was so manifest, that ex-Governor Black said, in placing 
Mr. Roosevelt in nomination : " We are here to inaugurate a cam- 
paign which seems already to be nearly closed. So wisely have 
the people sowed and watched and tended there seems little now 
to do but to measure up the grain. They are ranging themselves 
not for battle, but for harvest. In one column reaching from the 
Maine woods to the Puget Sound are those people and those States 
which have stood so long together, that when great emergencies 
arise the nation turns instinctively to them. In this column, vast 
and solid, is a majority so overwhelming that the scattered squads 
in opposition can hardly raise another army." 

This statement was no exaggeration, which was proved by thf 



184 ROOSEVELT TRIUMPHANTLY ELECTED. 

election of the Republican candidates by overwhelming majorities. 
The next morning after the election a prominent journal com- 
mented as follows : 

" It is a stupendous and overwhelming victory. There has 
been nothing like its extraordinary and magnificent proportions 
since the Grant whirlwind over Greeley in 1872, and the popular 
majorities are far greater even than then. President Roosevelt 
carries every Northern State. He gains everywhere over even 1900 
and 1896. 

" On this great tidal wave all the lesser objects are floated in. 
Congress is only second in importance, and it will show the largest 
Republican majority for many years. The Republican Governor 
in New York, bitterly fought, is triumphantly successful. In 
many States smaller doubts are turned into certainties. It is one 
vast oceanic sweep. 

MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTE TO ROOSEVELT. 

" The result is a splendid national tribute to President Roose- 
velt. It shows the unequaled place he holds in the affection, the 
admiration and the faith of the American people. It is in large 
measure his triumph. The principles, policies, aims and methods 
were those of his party and as broad as the nation ; but he has 
impressed his puissant individuality on them as only the rare 
towering figures of our history have done. He is stronger than 
party and greater than organization. The arrows of venom hurtled 
about him and fell harmless at his feet. 

" His characteristics, exaggerated and distorted, were made 
the target ; he was treated as the chief issue ; he was called impul- 
sive and unsafe and imperialistic ; ^ut his brilliant and fascinating 
personality, his vigor, his purity, his honesty, his courage swept 
down all puny opposition and carried everything before him. 
This unmatched triumph makes him the most powerful figure of 
recent history. It arms him with Olympian strength, but it im- 
poses corresponding responsibility. He has risen to every occasion 
and every duty. He has the sure token of the past as the talisman 
of the future. 



ROOSEVELT TRIUMPHANTLY ELECTED. 185 

" But it is far more than a personal victory in its national 
assurance. The glory of this American judgment is its American 
aspiration. It means that our great Republic will march on. It 
maintains our protective policy with its industrial prosperity. It 
fixes the gold standard with its business and financial security. 
It continues our brilliant and successful foreign policy, with its 
world-wide influence, its peaceful potentiality and its commercial 
opportunities. 

" It stamps out the narrow and pusillanimous spirit which 
would dishonor us with American perfidy and desertion in the 
Philippines. It leaves America in the hands of the big Americans 
instead of turning it over to the little Americans. From this 
exultant day we can take new heart of hope. 

" The President chooses the moment of his greatest triumph 
to announce that he will not be a candidate for another term. 

NOT A CANDIDATE AGAIN. 

" He is eligible even under the accepted unwritten law. He 
is only filling an unexpired term. This is his first election as 
President. It would not have been strange if he had aspired to a 
second. He might have remained silent. He chooses to speak 
and settle the question." 

President Roosevelt made his first public appearance after 
the election at St. Louis, where he went to attend the Louisiana 
Purchase Exposition. The officials of the Fair gave him an urgent 
invitation to visit the Exposition, and, in company with members 
of his family and several friends, he arrived in St. Louis on 
November 26th. All along his route from Washington crowds of 
people awaited the arrival of his train and received him with loud 
cheers. 

In St. Louis vast multitudes greeted him with every demon- 
stration of respect, admiration and affection. His progress from 
one building to another was a continuous ovation, and his visit, so 
far as notables were in evidence, was the great feature of the Fair. 

Presents of all sorts and descriptions were thrust upon him 
and these could be measured only by the wagon load. 



186 ROOSEVELT'S SECOND ADMINISTRATION. 

In the presence of a vast concourse of people, including re- 
presentatives from every State in the Union, Theodore Roosevelt, 
on the fourth of March, 1905, took the oath of office and was 
inaugurated President of the United States, and Charles Warren 
Fairbanks took the oath of office as Vice-President. 

Washington was crowded to overflowing with strangers, drawn 
to the Capital to view the inaugural ceremonies. 

Through the lines formed by cheering, waving thousands, 
between the men and women who shouted themselves hoarse out of 
pure delight, the President drove the whole length of Pennsylvania 
Avenue, and, turning to the left, entered the Capitol grounds, where, 
on the east front, was the stand from which he was to deliver his 
inaugural address, and surrounding it on all sides were the people 
wedged in so tightly that the place was black, and only the tops 
of their heads could be seen. 

Within the Senate chamber Vice-President Fairbanks took 
the oath of office and gave a brief address. The new Senators were 
summoned forward in groups of four to take the oath of office. 

MR. ROOSEVELT TAKES THE OATH. 

At one o'clock, on the open platform outside, Chief Justice 
Fuller administered the oath of office to Mr. Roosevelt as follows : 

" I do faithfully swear that I will faithfully execute the office 
of President of the United States, and to the best of my ability pro- 
tect, preserve and defend the Constitution of the United States." 

As the Chief Justice repeated these words, Mr. Roosevelt 
stood with uplifted hand. " I do," was his response, uttered in 
loud, clear tones. Then he reverently bowed his head and kissed 
the Bible. 

The inaugural address proved to be one of the shortest on 
record. Mr. Roosevelt delivered it, as he delivers all his public 
speeches, with great earnestness of manner. 

In the course of his address Mr. Roosevelt said : 

" My Fellow Citizens : No people on earth have more cause to 
be thankful than ours, and this is said reverently, in no spirit of 
boastfulness in our own strength, but with gratitude to the Giver 



ROOSEVELT'S SECOND ADMINISTRATION- 187 

of Good, who has blessed us with the conditions which have enabled 
us to achieve so large a measure of well being and of happiness. 
To us as a people it has been granted to lay the foundations of 
our national life in a new continent. We are the heirs of the 
ages, and yet we have had to pay few of the penalties which in old 
countries are exacted by the dead hand of a bygone civilization. 

We have not been obliged to fight for our existence against 
any alien race ; and yet our life has called for the vigor and effort 
without which the manlier and hardier virtues wither away. Under 
such conditions it would be our own fault if we failed ; and the 
success which we have had in the past, the success which we confi- 
dently believe the future will bring, should cause in us no feeling 
of vainglory, but rather a deep and abiding realization of all which 
life has offered us ; a full acknowledgment of the responsibility 
which is ours ; and a fixed determination to show that under a free 
government a mighty people can thrive best, alike as regards the 
things of the body and things of the soul. 

NATIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES. 

" Much has been given to us and much will rightfully be ex- 
pected from us. We have duties to others and duties to ourselves ; 
and we can shirk neither. We have become a great nation, forced 
by the fact of its greatness into relations with the other nations of 
the earth, and we must behave as beseems a people with such re- 
sponsibilities. Toward all other nations, large and small, our atti- 
tude must be one of cordial and sincere friendship. We must 
show not only in our words but in our deeds that we are earnestly 
desirous of securing their good will by acting toward them in a 
spirit of just and generous recognition of all their rights. 

"But justice and generosity in a nation, as in an individual, 
count most when shown not by the weak, but by the strong. While 
ever careful to refrain from wronging others, we must be no less 
insistent that we are not wronged ourselves. We wish peace ; but 
we wish the peace of justice, the peace of righteousness. We 
wish it because we think it is right and not because we are afraid. 
No weak nation that acts manfully and justly should ever have 



188 ROOSEVELT'S SECOND ADMINISTRATION. 

cause to fear us, and no strong power should ever be able to single 
us out as a subject for insolent aggression. 

" Our relations with the other powers of the world are im- 
portant ; but still more important are our relations among our- 
selves. Such growth in wealth, in population and in power as this 
nation has seen during the century and a quarter of its national 
life is inevitably accompanied by a like growth in the problems 
which are ever before every nation that rises to greatness. Power 
inevitably means both responsibility and danger. Our forefathers 
faced certain perils which we have outgrown. We now face other 
perils the very existence of which it was impossible that they could 

foresee. 

GREAT PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED. 

" Modern life is both complex and intense, and the tremen- 
dous changes wrought by the extraordinary industrial development 
of the last half century are felt in every fibre of our social and 
political being. Never before have men tried so vast and formid- 
able an experiment as that of administering the affairs of a con- 
tinent under the forms of a democratic republic. The conditions 
which have told for our marvelous material well being, which have 
developed to a very high degree our energy, self-reliance and indi- 
vidual initiative, have also brought the care and anxiety insepar- 
able from the accumulation of great wealth in industrial centers. 
Upon the success of our experiment much depends ; not only as 
regards our own welfare, but as regards the welfare of mankind. 

" If we fail, the cause of free self-government throughout the 
world will rock to its foundations ; and, therefore, our responsibility 
is heavy — to our selves, to the world as it is to-day and to the 
generations yet unborn. There is no good reason why we should 
fear the future, but there is every reason why we should face it 
seriously, neither hiding from ourselves the gravity of the problems 
before us nor fearing to approach these problems with the unbend- 
ing, unflinching purpose to solve them right. 

" Yet, after all, though the problems are new, though the tasks 
set before us differ from the tasks set before our fathers, the spirit 
in w"hich these tasks must be undertaken and these problems faced, 



ROOSEVELT'S SECOND ADMINISTRATION. 189 

if our duty is to be well done, remains essentially unchanged. We 
know that self-government is difficult. We know that no people 
needs such high traits of character as that people which seeks 
to govern its affairs aright through the freely expressed will of 
the freemen who compose it. 

" But we have faith that we shall not prove false to the me- 
mories of the men of the mighty past. They did their work ; they 
left us the splendid heritage we now enjoy. We in our turn have 
an assured confidence that we shall be able to leave this heritage 
unwasted and enlarged to our children and our children's children. 
To do so we must show, not merely in great crises, but in the every 
day affairs of life, the qualities of practical intelligence, of courage, 
of hardihood and endurance, and above all the power of devotion to 
a lofty ideal, which made great the men who founded this republic 
in the days of Washington, which made great the men who pre- 
served this republic in the days of Abraham Lincoln." 

THE NEW CABINET. 

Following the inaugural ceremonies was an immense parade, 
reviewed by the President. Thirty-five thousand men were in line. 
There were many picturesque features in the parade, including 
military cadets from West Point and naval cadets from Annapolis ; 
detachments of the regular army, with officers of the army and 
navy ; cowboys from the far West ; Indians clad in native costume ; 
and an immense crowd of civilians from all parts of the country. 

In the evening occurred the usual inaugural ball, which was 
attended by the beauty and fashion of the Capital, and was a 
successful termination of the day's ceremonies. The President and 
members of his family were present. 

Mr. Roosevelt's cabinet was constituted as follows : Secretary 
of State, John Hay ; Secretary of the Treasury, Leslie M. Shaw ; 
Secretary of War, William H. Taft ; Attorney-General, William 
H. Moody; Postmaster-General, George B. Cortelyou; Secretary of 
the Navy, Paul Morton ; Secretary of the Interior, Ethan A. 
Hitchcock; Secretary of Agriculture, James Wilson, and Secretary 
of Commerce and Labor, Victor B. Metcalf. 



190 ROOSEVELT'S SECOND ADMINISTRATION. 

Secretary of State, John Hay, died on the first of July, and 
was succeeded by Hon. Blihu Root, of New York. By the death 
of Mr. Hay our country lost its greatest diplomat, whose high 
character, distinguished ability and devotion to the interests of 
peace in both hemispheres were universally admitted. His brilliant 
deeds had a powerful effect in changing the history of the world. 

ROOSEVELT THE WORLD'S GREAT PEACEMAKER. 

One of the greatest achievements of President Roosevelt's 
administration was securing peace between Russia and Japan, 
which ended the lamentable war between those countries. 

After the defeat of the Russian naval fleet in the Sea of Japan 
there was a universal expectation of an attempt to end the war and 
secure peace. President Roosevelt resolved to cast aside all round- 
about diplomacy and bring the belligerents together, in the hope of 
ending the strife. It was announced at Washington, June 9th, that 
he had succeeded in securing the acquiescence of Japan and Russia 
to the opening of peace negotiations. He addressed a cable message 
to both Governments and it was delivered to the Mikado at Tokio 
and the Czar at St. Petersburg. 

This note was not sent until it had been ascertained that both 
Governments were ready to entertain a proposition with a view to 
opening peace negotiations. The following despatch was sent by 
the President, through our representatives to the Japanese and 
Russian Governments : 

" The President feels that the time has come when, in the 
interest of all mankind he must endeavor, if possible, to bring to 
an end the terrible and lamentable conflict now being waged. 

' With both Russia and Japan the United States has inherited 
ties of friendship and good will. It hopes for the prosperity and 
welfare of each, and it feels that the progress of the world is set 
back by the war between these two great nations. 

' The President accordingly urges the Russian and Japanese 
Governments, not only for their own sakes, but in the interest of 
the whole civilized world, to open direct negotiations for peace with 
one another. The President suggests that these peace negotiations 



ROOSEVELT'S SECOND ADMINISTRATION. 191 

be conducted directly and exclusively between the belligerents ; in 
other words, that there may be a meeting of Russian and Japanese 
plenipotentiaries or delegates without any intermediary, in order to 
see if it is not possible for ^.ese representatives of the two Powers 
to agree to terms of peace. 

" The President earnestly asks that the Russian (Japanese) 
Government do now agree to such a meeting, and is asking the 
Japanese (Russian) Government likewise to agree. 

11 While the President does not feel that any intermediary 
should be called in in respect to the peace negotiations themselves, 
he is entirely willing to do what he properly can if the two Powers 
concerned feel that his services will be of aid in arranging the pre- 
liminaries as to the time and place of meeting. 

" But, if even these preliminaries can be arranged directly 
between the two Powers, or in any other way, the President will be 
glad, as his sole purpose is to bring about a meeting which the 
whole civilized world will pray may result in peace." 

CONSENT TO PEACE PROPOSITION SECURED. 

Fearlessly treading on delicate ground that might daunt the 
most finished diplomat, President Roosevelt moved step by step 
until he secured the consent of "Tokio and St. Petersburg to accept 
for consideration the proposition outlined in his identical note 
which offered to both an honorable basis for a peace treaty. It was 
evidently understood that as soon as this note was delivered at the 
Foreign Offices in Tokio and St. Petersburg its contents should be 
made public, for when a cablegram reached the State Department 
from Minister Griscom that the note had been presented by him to 
the Japanese Foreign Officers, copies of it were at once released a*- 
the White House. 

Both Russia and Japan, having accepted the proposition for 
peace negotiations, and having appointed envoys clothed with 
power to form a treaty, on August 5th, President Roosevelt, on 
behalf the United States and its people, extended formal greetings 
to the representatives of Russia and Japan, introduced the pleni- 
potentiaries to one another and entertained them at an elaborate 



192 ROOSEVELT'S SECOND ADMINISTRATION. 

luncheon, at which Russians and Japanese fraternized with one 
another as comrades, rather than as enemies. 

The handsome war yacht Mayflower, one of the most beautiful 
vessels of the United States navy, on which the formal reception 
of the Russian and Japanese plenipotentiaries took place, swung 
easily at anchor just at the entrance of Oyster Bay from Long 
Island Sound. A quarter of a mile away was the despatch boat 
Dolphin, the favorite cruising vessel of several Presidents of the 
United States. Two miles out in the Sound the cruiser Galves- 
ton was anchored, in waiting to convoy the vessels bearing the 
envoys to the seat of the Washington peace conference at Ports- 
mouth, N. H. 

THE, PRESIDENT'S FAMOUS TOAST. 

At luncheon on board the Mayflower the President proposed 
the following toast : 

" Gentlemen — I propose a toast to which there will be no answer 
and to which I ask you to drink in silence, standing. I drink to 
the welfare and prosperity of the sovereigns and peoples of the two 
great nations whose representatives have met one another on this 
ship. It is my most earnest hope and prayer in the interest of not 
only these two great Powers, but of all mankind, that a just and 
lasting peace may speedily be concluded between them." 

After much discussion, and, on several occasions, a threatened 
rupture, which in each instance was tactfully averted by President 
Roosevelt, the plenipotentiaries arrived at a complete agreement, 
and signed a treaty of peace on September 5th, 1905. 

President Roosevelt, in the peace assured at Portsmouth, won a 
great personal triumph and achieved a service to humanity vouch- 
safed to no man in our day. Great as was Bismarck's work in 
securing peace at the Berlin Congress President Roosevelt's work 
on this occasion was greater still. He called the conference- 
Again and again he saved it from disaster. At the end he secured 
the concessions, first from the Czar and next from the Mikado, 
which made peace possible. Without President Roosevelt war 
would have been resumed. Single handed and alone he changed 



ROOSEVELT'S SECOND ADMINISTRATION. 193 

the history of the world when neither nation at war asked for his 
good offices nor desired them. 

Such an achievement and such a work put a man in a class 
apart. He becomes in himself one of the world's greatest forces, 
to be reckoned with in all its wider affairs. No man's career and 
no man's future can be regarded in the same light or prove the 
same after such supreme success in the most difficult of tasks as 
after he has been thus triumphantly tested by the " arduous great- 
ness of things done." At home and abroad, in international 
affairs and in domestic politics, the " World Peacemaker " holds a 
new place and speaks with new power in all he says and does. 

No greater stroke in diplomacy has been achieved in our day. 
It makes M. Witte the one Russian who in disastrous struggle has 
saved the honor and treasure of his land in the council chamber 
when all had been lost by sea and by land. 

GREAT STROKE OF DIPLOMACY. 

Crowned heads of the world united with distinguished states- 
men of America and Europe in according the glory of peace between 
Russia and Japan to President Roosevelt. Telegrams of congratu- 
lation poured in upon the President in a great flood. They came 
from persons of high degree and of low, and from all quarters of 
the civilized world. 

Among the first messages received was one from the King of 
England, as follows : " To the President : Let me be one of the 
first to congratulate you on the successful issue of the peace con- 
ference to which you have so greatly contributed. 

" Edward, R. I." 

Soon afterward a notably cordial cablegram was received from 
Emperor William of Germany. It read : " President Theodore 
Roosevelt : Just received cable from America announcing agree- 
ment of peace conference on preliminaries of peace ; I'm overjoyed ; 
express most sincere congratulations at the great success due to 
your untiring efforts. The whole of mankind will unite in thank- 
ing you for the great boon you have given it. 

" William I. R." 

13— T.E. 



194 ROOSEVELT'S SECOND ADMINISTRATION. 

Ambassador Jusserand, of France, sent this cablegram: 
tl President Roosevelt : Heartiest, warmest congratulations. 

"Jessurand." 

Then came telegrams from diplomatic representatives of 
foreign governments in this country — from Sir Mortimer Durand, 
the British Ambassador ; from Mayor Des Planches, Ambassador 
of Italy, and from Sir Chentung Liang Cheng, the Chinese Minis- 
ter. They follow : " Please submit to the President my most 
cordial congratulations upon success of his efforts to bring about 
peace. Durand." 

" The President : I beg to offer you hearty congratulations for 
the successful conclusion of peace, for which the whole world, 
especially the Orient, is ever indebted to you. 

" Chentung Liang Cheng." 

" I beg to offer you, Mr. President, on behalf of the Italian 
Government and of myself, as representative of my august sov- 
ereign, heartfelt congratulations for your great success in re-estab- 
lishing peace. Italy, who, since her constitution, has endeavored 
to be an element and factor of harmony among nations, will 
greatly admire and praise the work you brought on so advanta- 
geously for the benefit of humanity. 

" Mayor des Planches." 

Count Cassini, who was succeeded by Baron Rosen as Russian 
Ambassador to the United States, cabled as follows : " President 
Roosevelt : Profoundly happy at -the result of the negotiations 
which assures a peace honorable for both nations and in which you 
have taken so fruitful a part. Cassini." 

" Your Excellency has rendered to humanity an eminent ser- 
vice, for which I felicitate you heartily. The French Republic 
rejoices in the role that her sister America has played in this his- 
toric event. " EmilE Loubet.' 



ROOSEVELT'S SECOND ADMINISTRATION. 195 

Emperor Nicholas of Russia recognized gratefully the great 
part which President Roosevelt played in the successful negotia- 
tions for peace in the following cablegram received by the President : 
" President Roosevelt : Accept my congratulations and earnest 
thanks for having brought the peace negotiations to a successful 
conclusion owing to your personal energetic efforts. My country 
will gratefully recognize the great part you have played in the 
Portsmouth peace conference. Nicholas." 

In response to a request for an opinion relative to President 
Roosevelt's part in the conclusion of peace between Japan and 
Russia, Cardinal Gibbons said : " President Roosevelt is a great 
man, the greatest in his time. He is first in peace and first in the 
hearts of his countrymen. He is the biggest man in this century, 
because he has been the means of bringing to an end a terrible 
war. I admire him for his great work, and the nation will bless 
him." 

In a letter to Baron Komura the President extended his con- 
gratulations upon the wisdom and magnanimity manifested by Japan 
in the negotiations. The letter follows : " My Dear Baron 
Komura : May I ask you to convey to his Majesty, the Emperor of 
Japan, my earnest congratulations upon the wisdom and mag- 
nanimity he and the Japanese people have displayed ? I am sure 
that all civilized mankind share this feeling with me. Sincerely 
yours, Theodore Roosevelt." 

That President Roosevelt, by influencing the Portsmouth 
peace conference to a successful conclusion, has made a place for 
himself as one of the great figures of history is patent. Japan, 
insistent and exacting, turned at the last moment to so magnani- 
mous a course as to have surprised and startled the world. 

But behind the belligerent nations, ceaselessly active, indom- 
itable in courage, fixed in determination to consummate peace 
if peace were possible, smashing precedent and toppling tradi- 
tion in pursuit of that endeavor, was Theodore Roosevelt, The 
American. 

America has known the man these many years. The world 



108 ROOSEVELT'S SECOND ADMINISTRATION. 

knows him now as the mightiest individual force among all the 
millions of humanity. Kings have laid their praises at his feet. 
Emperors have thanked and congratulated him for an unparalelled 
service to civilization. The Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church has 
thanked God for Theodore Roosevelt's courage. Emperor Nicholas, 
of Russia, and M. Witte, his plenipotentiary, have ascribed to him all 
the glory for the peace achievement. On Manchurian plains Rus- 
sian and Japanese soldiers rejoiced that Theodore Roosevelt dared 
and did. In Japan and in Russia, in unknown thousands of 
homes, prayers of thanksgiving for the man were breathed. 

President Roosevelt received from the Emperor of Japan the 
following message of thanks and appreciation for the part played 
by the President in the negotiations which resulted in a cessation 
of hostilities in the far East : 

" Mr. President : I have received with gratification your message 
of congratulations, conveyed through our plenipotentiaries, and 
thank you warmly for them. In your disinterested and unremit- 
ting efforts in the interests of peace and humanity I attach the 
high value which is their due, and assure you of my grateful 
appreciation of the distinguished part you have taken in the estab- 
lishment of peace based upon principles essential to the permanent 
welfare and tranquillity of the far East. 

" MUTSUHITO." 

Congressman William Alden Smith, of Michigan, was one of 
Emperor William's guests at dinner on September 2d. After 
dinner Emperor William referred to the peace conference at Ports- 
mouth, saying: u President Roosevelt alone deserves credit for 
bringing about peace. He was the only man in the world who 
could have done it. He did his part splendidly." 

Once in many years comes a man whose character and deeds 
distinguish him above all others. Coming generations will look 
back over our long list of Presidents and Roosevelt will be classed 
with Washington and Lincoln. These illustrious names will 
stand pre-eminent in the history of our country, for while many 
able men have occupied the Presidential chair, Washington, Lin- 
coln and Roosevelt tower far above all others. 



ROOSEVELT'S SECOND ADMINISTRATION. 197 

President Roosevelt sent a special message to Congress on 
May 4, 1906, dealing with the Standard Oil Company and other 
matters. Accompanying the message was Commissioner Garfield's 
report of his investigation made in response to a resolution of the 
House adopted on February 5, 1905. The message called particu- 
lar attention to the way in which the law is evaded by treating as 
State Commerce what in reality is interstate commerce, the oil 
company taking advantage of secret rates in shipping its com- 
modity across a State, and complying with the requirements of the 
Federal lav/ only long enough to get its freight across a boundary. 
The message pointed out the futility of independent concerns 
attempting to compete with the trust under traffic conditions which 
so favor the monopoly, and urged Congress to lodge such additional 
power in the Interstate Commerce Commission as would permit of 
the correction of abuses. The message also said that the railroads 
should be permitted to unite for proper purposes — that is, the pro- 
tection of themselves and the public against the power of the trusts. 

THE PRESIDENT'S THRUST AT UNLAWFUL COMPETITION. 

The message concluded with mention of the free alcohol bill 
and of the oil and coal lands which the Government now controls. 
" The Standard Oil Company has, largely by unfair or unlawful 
methods, crushed out home competition. It is highly desirable 
that an element of competition should be introduced by the passage 
of some such law as has passed the House, putting alcohol used 
in the arts and manufactures upon the free list. Furthermore the 
time has come when no oil or coal lands held by the Government, 
either upon the public domain proper or in territory held by the 
Indian tribes, should be alienated. The fee to such lands should, 
be kept in the United States Government whether or not the 
profits arising from it are to be given to any Indian tribe, and the 
lands should be leased only on such terms and for such periods as 
will enable the Government to keep entire control thereof." Bill 
for Panama Lock Canal signed by President, June 29th ; also 
Railroad Rate bill and Naturalization bill. Congress adjourned 
June 30th, 1906. 



CHAPTER XV 

CURBING PREDATORY WEALTH. 

Last Year of Roosevelt Regime — Takes Up Arms Against 
Trusts — A Titanic Struggle — Wins Democratic Ap- 
plause — Corporations Force a Panic — Public Backs the 
President — After Public Land Thieves — Justice to 
China — Warcloud in Pacific — Averting Strife with 
Japan. 

T T was the last two years of President Roosevelt's administration, 
* however, that witnessed the greatest activity in curbing the 
arrogance of the predatory wealth of the country. 

During the time he was filling out the unexpired term of 
Mr. McKinley he did not feel free, since he himself was not elected 
by the people, to do many things that he was sure the safety, 
security and future welfare of the Republic demanded should be 
done. The great war between Japan and Russia, threatening as 
it did the peace of the entire world, distracted attention from evils 
nearer home during the earlier part of what Mr. Roosevelt had 
termed his "own" administration. 

Now, however, that this great struggle had been so happily 
brought to an end by the efforts of Mr. Roosevelt himself, at last 
he was free to take up arms against the corrupt wealth, the preda- 
tory trusts, the rebating railroads of the country. 

The struggle was a Titanic one. On one side were arrayed all 
the "special interests" of Wall street, the railroad kings, the trust 
magnates, the insurance princes, and the subsidized press. On the 
other, grim and determined, was the administration, backed by the 
laws, the courts, and what is even more important, by the prac- 
tically undivided support of the country at large. 

Perhaps no President, least of all so fierce a partizan as Mr. 
Roosevelt, ever before was accorded the support of so great a 
percentage of his erstwhile political opponents. From every quarter 

198 



CURBING PREDATORY WEALTH. 199 

of the nation came offers of assistance in his great battle against 
ill-gotten gain. The editorial columns of the Democratic papers 
that were free from Wall street influence were as enthusiastically 
in favor of the Roosevelt policies as were the organs of the most 
rabid Republicanism. 

It hardly would be fair to denounce all who railed against the 
administration's activities as corrupt, for many honestly were misled 
and deceived. Many firmly believed that the National Government's 
efforts to restrain corporations would check investments and hinder 
industry ; many felt sure that the restrictive and in some cases vio- 
lent legislation of some of the states, inspired by the Roosevelt 
agitation, would so drive capital to cover, that legitimate industry 
would halt; and others feared that the invidious emphasis that has 
been put on wealth during this long agitation would encourage a 
violent class feeling by the poor against the rich and would bring 
an era of dangerous economic and social experiments. 

ROOSEVELT WAS RIGHT. 

Nothing of this kind happened. The public refused to be 
frightened by the fears or by the threats of the great corporations, 
and the great corporations were not really hurt in their legitimate 
activity by the rising tide of popular anger. There could hardly 
be better proof either of the safe foundations of our prosperity 
or of the essential soundness of the people's judgment. 

And yet a panic came — as cruel, needless and artificial a panic 
as ever money kings forced upon a helpless people. 

It was done to discredit Mr. Roosevelt, but it served only to 
prove his contentions. It was forced and fostered by Wall street 
to cripple the administration. It crippled Wall street and made Mr. 
Roosevelt and his policies invincible before the people. 

Cleverly as the financial game was worked, the great mass of 
the people of the country clearly saw the wires being pulled and 
readily identified the wealthy malefactors who were precipitating 
panic, regardless of consequences, in order to discredit the man who 
really was working for the benefit of the nation. 

Some foolish local laws did damage as far as they went. But 



200 CURBING PREDATORY WEALTH. 

the main tendency of the whole agitation of these two or three years 
was reassuring and constructive. 

Proof of this is easy to find. Consider, for instance, the pro- 
hibition of railroad passes. Every railroad in the country profited 
by it ; and they profited not only by the receipt of increased revenue 
from fares but even more by relief from a vicious system of special 
favors, which was a system of petty blackmail. Again, in every 
case where a rebate was stopped, not only has the railroad received 
more money for its service, but it has given the competitors of the 
rebate-receiver a greater security in their business. 

AWAKENING OF PUBLIC CONSCIENCE. 

A larger result than all these was the general awakening of the 
public conscience about the management of corporations. Not only 
have railroads and other public-service corporations become more 
careful in their conduct, but private corporations as well. If an 
examination had been made four or five years before of the con- 
dition and of the conduct of all the companies doing business in the 
United States, and if a similar examination could have been made 
towards the close of the Roosevelt regime, there is little doubt that 
a very great improvement would have been discovered. The rights 
of stockholders are more carefully considered. 

Not long ago the counsel of a private corporation in New York 
was preparing a tax statement, and the officers of the company said 
to him : "Prepare it exactly as if you knew that the company would 
be examined next week as the insurance companies were, or as if 
an inquiry were to be made by the Department of Commerce and 
Labor." The double standard of conduct — one standard for private 
affairs and another for corporate affairs — is less common than it 
was. 

Every act or tendency or awakening that makes for honesty 
and for fair dealing directly adds to the stability of values, to the 
security of investments, and to financial confidence. These forces 
are far stronger for stability than the rhetorical alarm in financial 
circles is for panic. Moreover, the checking, by any legitimate 



CURBING PREDATORY WEALTH. 201 

force, of the ambitions of great financial consolidators has itself 
added to prosperity and security. 

This state of affairs is due to one man — Theodore Roosevelt. 

Another bitter fight for the rights of the people was against 
the public land thieves who had despoiled the West of both arable 
land and timber reserves. 

There is, of course, a body of laws to govern the care and the 
use and the disposition of government lands in the western states. 
But many of them had been so systematically disregarded, evaded, 
and violated that in many communities they had become a dead 
letter. 

Public opinion had become adjusted to evading them. Import- 
ant enterprises were conducted in disregard of them, and large 
investments made. Many men ceased supposing that they would 
ever be rigidly enforced; and the "moral sentiment" of many com- 
munities approved their desuetude. 

MANY PROMINENT MEN INDICTED. 

Yet in the main these are wise laws, necessary for the proper 
use or for the preservation of forest and water supplies. 

When the Roosevelt Administration began to enforce them, 
many prominent men were indicted and some were convicted. But 
the sympathy of a large part of the public in the West, for a time 
at least, was with the violators and not with the enforcers of the 
law. 

At the Public Land Convention in Denver, the Colorado dele- 
gates wore badges denouncing "interference by Government bureaus 
under autocratic rules and regulations;" Senator Heyburn exhib- 
ited a map of Idaho showing the large areas of forest reserves and 
spoke as if the Government had forcibly and wantonly taken this 
land from people who had titles to it; and the drift of the addresses 
was against the enforcement of the law. 

The whole subject was in a chaotic state. Congress stopped 
some executive orders touching land administration while they were 
in process of execution. The Western sentiment — a strong- part 
of it at least — was opposed to the proper preservation of these 



202 CURBING PREDATORY WEALTH. 

forests. The Administration was, of course, in favor of their 
preservation. 

The public opinion of the country (except so much of it as was 
more or less selfishly interested or had suffered hardship because 
of the recent enforcement of laws long disregarded) demanded that 
the policy of the Administration be carried out. 

The conflict continued in Congress, as it was all the while 
appearing in the courts, where land thieves were brought to trial. 

In the end, the general purpose of the existing laws and the 
policy of the President prevailed, and Mr. Roosevelt will receive 
the thanks of the next generation, which will be more earnest even 
than the opposition of the present. 

Besides the fight against the Standard Oil Company, the 
American Tobacco Company was another gigantic corporation 
which Mr. Roosevelt assailed as a trust. 

TACKLING THE TOBACCO TRUST. 

In the bill of complaint made by the Federal Government 
against the American Tobacco Company and its subsidiary corpora- 
tions, if other means of preventing restraint of trade should fail in 
court was asked to "appoint receivers to take possession of all the 
assets of the various companies, and, if necessary, to wind them up." 

The whole commercial world firmly held to the usual concep- 
tion of a receivership — as a method of dealing with a business that 
has failed. The proposal to use it as a punishment was a new con- 
ception to the lay mind ; and the proposal to use it as a punishment 
for "success' (financial success at least) seemed to a large part of 
the business community either fantastic or fanatical. 

Such a judgment was utterly erroneous ; but it was taken by the 
financial and political enemies and victims of the Administration 
as an occasion to decry the President and his policy of corporation 
regulation. Another such excuse was the extreme length to which 
some of the states had gone in enacting and in enforcing (for the 
time being) regulative statutes which the trusts and railroads hoped 
would not stand the test of the courts. "The whole movement has 
gone too far!" "You see the inevitable result!" Such remarks 



CURBING PREDATORY WEALTH. OQ3 

as these were more frequently heard than at any time since Mr. 
Roosevelt had become President. 

The opposition to the regulation of corporations hoped that a 
tide of public opinion was turning in their favor. But they hoped 
in vain. 

The service that President Roosevelt has done is clear to men 
who think beyond to-morrow and back of yesterday. Six or seven 
years before the great corporations almost openly controlled a very 
large part of our political life and they had come to think of them- 
selves as the proprietors of American financial, industrial, and 
political power. In this state of mind there was danger enough. 
But there was a still greater danger in the state of mind which lent 
itself to what, for the lack of a better name, may be called 
Hearstism. 

In restraining this Mr. Roosevelt's greatest exploit lay. 

A CONSTRUCTIVE FORCE. 

The work of the Administration in reasserting the power of 
law over the great corporations was, not a radical, but a conservative 
force. It kept an angry and radical and possibly destructive power 
from organizing itself. If some state legislatures and executives 
went beyond sound law and good sense, this was a small evil that 
was soon corrected. But, if a strong public sentiment — all the 
forces of the dissatisfied — had rallied, let us say, to the banner of 
some irresponsible fanatic, we should have had a contest that would 
have involved a degree of danger that might have put an end to 
prosperity and to many other things besides. 

Now that danger has passed and that it has passed is due to the 
forceful bravery of Mr. Roosevelt. The people have become accus- 
tomed to the hope and the expectation that corporations will be 
made to respect the law, that the Government will be conducted 
without surrender to them; and such revolutionary and radical 
proposals as would lead to distrust, insecurity, and even to confis- 
cation are no longer feared. 

And the problem has been clearly formulated once for all. The 
complete solution of it may require many experiments, many years, 



204 CURBING PREDATORY WEALTH. 

many Presidential administrations. But Mr. Roosevelt proved that 
the predatory trusts can be brought to respect the law without over- 
turning our industrial structure and without checking prosperity. 
His successors cannot escape the same task. 

Whether, therefore, any particular experiment or proposal 
be fantastical or fanatical, and whether any state enact and enforce 
absurd laws, or whether Mr. Roosevelt's personal popularity be more 
or less — these are of little consequence. To-morrow they will all be 
forgotten or reversed. The thing that will remain for many a day 
and for other Presidents and Congresses will be this well-formu- 
lated task — to keep the great combinations of capital within the 
bounds of just laws without stopping the industrial machinery and 
the profitable activity of the country. 

JUSTICE FOR CHINA. 

President Roosevelt's successful efforts to stay the ravages of 
war between Russia and Japan did much to re-establish American 
prestige in the Far East, but, perhaps, no act went further, in this, 
than when, with a commendable spirit of fairness and generosity, 
the Administration revised the indemnity figures that represented 
the debt of China to the United States as a result of the Boxer 
troubles. Under the protocol, signed on September 7, 1901, China 
agreed to pay to the United States, in forty years, $24,440,000 and 
interest at the rate of 4 per cent. The Roosevelt Administration 
agreed to remit this debt on the payment of $11,055,000, of which 
$6,000,000 had already been paid. 

Of course, this administrative act, since it altered the terms of 
settlement established by a treaty agreement, had to be ratified by 
Congress before it went into effect. But since it was admitted by 
the Government that the revised figures covered all the actual cost 
to this country through the Boxer outbreak, Congress could not very 
well afford to refuse to ratify the amendment. A failure to do so 
would have amounted to a confession that this country desired 
money more than it desired a reputation for common honesty. 

The important and interesting phase of the matter is the fact 
that the revision threw more than a reasonable doubt upon all the 



CURBING PREDATORY WEALTH. 205 

awards made under that protocol. If the United States award 
was unjust, or, as Mr. Root gently called it "a maximum," what 
of the Russian award of $87,500,000, the German award of $60,- 
000,000, the French award of $56,000,000? 

The plain truth is, that China was, one might say, sand-bagged 
by the Christian Powers in 1901, as weak nations have generally 
been. The United States alone recorded a refusal to keep the 
plunder, and it recorded it most largely, because the inherent 
honesty of Theodore Roosevelt would not let it do otherwise. 

DANGER OF WAR WITH JAPAN. 

It was not until the final year of Mr. Roosevelt's administra- 
ation, however, that the gravest danger loomed up — the possibility 
of a war with Japan. 

This condition arose from a variety of sources pregnant with 
danger. 

First, there arose on the Pacific coast a widespread, if not 
universal, demand that the Japanese be excluded from this country. 

Nor was it far different in Canada. The anti-Oriental riot at 
Vancouver, following the anti-Japanese demonstration in San Fran- 
cisco and the driving away of Hindu laborers at Bellingham, Wash., 
were the work chiefly of men of the labor unions; but in all these 
places the general public feeling w r as on the side of the white men. 

Violent methods were deplored by the best part of the popula- 
tion ; but there was nevertheless no doubt about a general and very 
serious objection to the coming of men of any of these races in any 
considerable number — this in spite of the demand on the Pacific 
coast for more labor. The objection to the Japanese, strangely 
enough, was stronger than the objection to the Chinese and the 
Hindus. 

There is the same feeling in all English-held lands — in 
Australia and New Zealand which exclude Mongolians, in Natal 
which prohibits the coming of more Hindus, in the Transvaal which 
is trying ultimately to exclude the Chinese permanently. 

Canada has a commercial agreement whereunder direct Jap- 
anese immigration is restricted annually to 500 persons, which, 



206 CURBING PREDATORY WEALTH. 

however, had not until the recent trouble prevented the coming of 
many of them from Hawaii. 

All this is in spite of the general treaty between Great Britain 
and Japan. 

It is not strange, therefore, that this feeling of irritation was 
seized upon by the "yellow" press of both countries and blazoned 
before the world until war was seriously discussed not only in the 
papers of the two countries, but in all the capitals of the world. 

At this juncture President Roosevelt made his first move for 
the preservation of peace — a diplomatic move, as is characteristic 
of the man. Later he was forced to rely upon the veiled threat of 
the most powerful fleet ever gathered together in the world. But 
his first act in the drama was the sending of Secretary Taft to 
Japan as the "Ambassador of Peace." 

THE AMBASSADOR OF PEACE. 

Secretary Taft's happy and emphatic declaration, at an official 
dinner given in his honor in Tokio, that talk of war between Japan 
and the United States was "infamous," ought to have arrested the 
activity of the criminal press in discussing such a subject. Most of 
such discussion was "infamous." Absurd, if not criminal, also was 
the recurring newspaper talk about selling the Philippines, which 
Secretary Taft described on the same occasion as unworthy of con- 
sideration because, among other reasons, we had entered into moral 
obligations to the people of the islands which it would be ignomin- 
ious to shirk or to transfer. 

This latter suggestion in regard to the Philippines, indeed, 
doubtless had its part in stirring up trouble between the United 
States and the people of the Mikado. 

But out of the anarchy from which San Francisco suffered 
came one annoyance to the Japanese after another — too little, per- 
haps, to deserve notice under normal conditions. But the Japanese 
jingoes noticed even a reported prohibition of Japanese employment 
agencies by the San Francisco authorities; and one of their news- 
papers, an organ of the Opposition, published a sort of demand for 
an international inquiry. In the Hawaiian Islands, a meeting of 



CURBING PREDATORY WEALTH. 207 

Japanese "demanded" the admission of Japanese laborers to the 
United States — contrary to the terms of our treaty. 

These were trifling incidents. Neither the Government at 
Washington nor the Government at Tokio apparently paid heed to 
them; and there was no open strain on their good relations. But 
the people of Japan, or some of them, are sensitive ; and their trade 
organizations addressed a polite letter of protest to President Roose- 
velt and to American Boards of Trade. 

Japan protested that it had no thought of war, no wish for war, 
no financial ability to wage war ; nor did the Government of Japan 
show, so far as the public knew, any irritation. Yet the sensational 
press of both countries and even some of the sensational newspapers 
of Europe kept the subject of a possible breach between the United 
States and Japan under discussion ; and agitators in California and 
Opposition politicians in Japan continued to give occasion for news- 
items and discussion. 

KUROKI COMES HERE. 

But meanwhile official Japan was doing its best — openly at 
least — to avert trouble. As a return visit to Secretary Taft's, 
General Kuroki was sent to the United States as still another mes- 
senger of peace. 

General Kuroki was received in the United States everywhere 
with real admiration as well as with pardonable curiosity; and 
everywhere he went he called forth expressions of friendliness to 
himself and to his country. For instance, the formation of a Japan 
Society in New York, a club to preserve and to encourage the most 
friendly relations between the two countries, was a graceful indica- 
tion of cordiality. 

But the visit of this distinguished Japanese General and of the 
naval officers who made us a brief visit set going much diplomatic 
speculation about the part that Japan will play in world-politics. 
The friendly compacts between England and Japan and France 
and Japan; the probability of Japan's building up an influence in 
South America by immigration and by trade; the pressure of Jap- 
anese immigration eastward to the Philippines, the Hawaiian 



2Q3 CURBING PREDATORY WEALTH. 

Islands, and the United States ; the part that Japan may play in the 
development of China — these and such subjects came up for renewed 
discussion and speculation throughout the whole Western world. 

In spite of the temporary cessation of talk about the danger of 
a breach of friendly relations between the United States and Japan 
because of the San Francisco school incident, expressions of remote 
apprehension still cropped out here and there. We were reminded 
that the inevitable race-feeling would assert itself if Japanese immi- 
gration were to become great; we were reminded that, as the Jap- 
anese discovered that they were taken seriously by the world as 
soon as they showed good warlike qualities, they might conclude that 
another war in due time — when they can afford to pay for it — 
would increase their prestige still more, and that the stronger the 
nation with whom they fight, the greater the glory would be. We 
were reminded, too, that their industrial development might be an 
annoyance to our trade interest. 

Finally the talk became so prevalent on both sides of the 
Atlantic as well as on both the Eastern and the Western shores of 
the Pacific, that diplomatic platitudes no longer would suffice. 

Then Mr. Roosevelt showed the courage that was in him. 

Boldly he ordered the mobilization of a great fleet of battle- 
ships for a cruise around the world. It was a daring stroke, but 
Japan read its significance aright. Before it had rounded the cape 
into the Pacific, fit, as Admiral Evans so aptly expressed it, "for 
either a frolic or a fight," Japan had officially invited it to visit its 
shores. 

The Roosevelt Big Stick had been waved not in vain. Danger 
of war was averted. 



CHAPTER XVI 

OFF FOR THE AFRICAN JUNGLE. 

Left New York on Steamer Hamburg on March 23, 1909 — 
Cheering Thousands Crowd Pier — Taft Sends Present — 
Roosevelt Has Narrow Escape in Azores — Visits Gibral- 
tar and Naples — Meets Italian King at Messina — 
Reaches Mombasa April 21. 

A A J AVING a parting farewell with his black slouch hat, his face 
* » beaming in the morning sun as he stood on the captain's 
bridge of the steamship Hamburg, former President Roosevelt 
sailed away from New York Harbor on March 23, 1909, for his 
long planned African "Safari." 

He left his native shores amid the cheers of thousands of 
persons who swarmed the Hamburg-American Line pier at 
Hoboken, the whistles of countless river craft and the thunderous 
reverberations of the ex-President salute of 13 guns from Forts 
Hamilton and Wadsworth. 

• The party was known as The Roosevelt-Smithsonian Institu- 
tion Expedition, for when Charles D. Wolcott, secretary of the 
Smithsonian Institution and curator of the National Museum, heard 
that President Roosevelt was planning to go to Africa, he imme- 
diately sought permission to send representatives with the party 
for the purpose of adding to the collections of the National Museum. 

The co-operative plan, as agreed upon, provided for the send- 
ing of three representatives of the Smithsonian Institution — Major 
Edgar A. Mearns, United States Army, retired; Edmund Heller, 
and J. Alden Loring. 

Mr. Roosevelt was accompanied by his son Kermit, who, with 
his father, was to shoot the big game and take photographs. 

The expenses of the expedition were divided into five equal 
shares, of which Mr. Roosevelt paid two and the institution three. 

14 — T.E. "09 



210 OFF FOR THE AFRICAN JUNGLE. 

Besides the happy figure of the former President as the steam- 
ship slipped out of her dock stood a lad, seemingly dejected as he 
wistfully gazed at the cheering multitude on the pier below. It was 
Kermit Roosevelt, who accompanies his father as official photo- 
grapher of the expedition. Father and son, both clad in brilliant 
buff-hued army coats, remained on the bridge on the trip down the 
bay and acknowledged with sweeps of their hats the salutes of the 
vessels. 

True to his promise, Mr. Roosevelt made no statements regard- 
ing his hunt in Africa other than to say that he probably would be 
gone about a year and a quarter. Mr. Roosevelt eschewed politics 
to inquiring friends and contented himself with expressions of 
pleasure and appreciations of the kindly farewells. 

A MESSAGE FROM TAFT. 

One incident of the departure which touched Mr. Roosevelt 
probably more than any other was the presentation of a message 
and gift from President Taft by Captain Archibald Butt, who was 
chief military aide to Mr. Roosevelt and holds that position under 
President Taft. Captain Butt had a difficult time in reaching Mr. 
Roosevelt. It was imperative that he should do so, as he carried 
a message from the President which required a reply. Finally after 
Mr. Roosevelt had boarded the ship a second time Captain Butt 
reached him in his stateroom. 

Grasping his former aide by the hand with a "By George, it is 
good to see you again, Archie," Mr. Roosevelt drew the President's 
messenger aside to talk with him. Captain Butt then delivered 
President Taft's message and a small package containing a ruler 
of gold with pencil attached. It is a collapsible ruler 12 inches long- 
when drawn out of the end of the pencil. On it is inscribed : 

"To Theodore Roosevelt from William Howard Taft: Goodby 
and good luck. Best wishes for a safe return." 

When Mr. Roosevelt opened the package he exclaimed, "Well, 
now, isn't that just too fine! It certainly was thoughtful and kind 
of President Taft to send this to me and I appreciate it greatly." 

Turning to Captain Butt he whispered a message for him to 



OFF FOR THE AFRICAN JUNGLE. 211 

carry to the White House and said he would reply by wireless 
telegraph to the letter Mr. Taft had sent to him. 

Captain Butt, learning that Mrs. Roosevelt had remained at 
Sagamore Hill, promised Mr. Roosevelt he would go out during 
the afternoon to pay his respects. One of the last acts of Mr. 
Roosevelt before sailing was to send a message to President Taft 
reading : 

"Parting thanks, love and sincerity." 

Friends and political and official associates almost without 
number came aboard the steamship to speed the departing hunter. 
Only those who were known to Douglas Robinson, brother-in-law of 
Mr. Roosevelt, were admitted to Mr. Roosevelt's suite. An eleventh 
hour decoration in Mr. Roosevelt's main state room was the hanging 
on the walls of portraits of the several members of the Roosevelt 
family and pictures of the White House and Sagamore Hill. 

THANKS PITTSBURG FRIENDS. 

The departure of the Hamburg was delayed until 1 1 :o6 o'clock 
by Captain Burmeister, so that Major General Wood and his staff 
might board the steamship from the Government tug Wyckoff and 
bid good-by to their former commander-in-chief. 

From the forward gangplank of the ship Mr. Roosevelt, 
addressing the Pittsburg delegation and representatives of various 
organizations that had come to New York to see him off, made his 
last speech. He said: 

"I want to thank the representatives from Pittsburg who have 
come all this distance to see me off. I am indeed grateful and am 
touched by their thoughtfulness and kindness in coming such a long 
way. I want to thank also all my fellow citizens who came to see 
me off. To you and all Americans I say God bless you." 

The Hamburg presented a pretty marine picture as she steamed 
down the river in the sunlight. Racing alongside of the Hamburg 
was a fleet of tugs tooting incessantly. The tugs carried scores of 
Mr. Roosevelt's friends. 

Mr. Roosevelt waved his hat in answer to the cheers of those 
on the tugs, for the high wind prevented any sound of human voice 



212 OFF FOR THE AFRICAN JUNGLE. 

from carrying across the water. The Hamburg dipped her colors 
in answer to the salute of the forts and her siren answered the fre- 
quent whistles of the craft met and passed. 

When the Hamburg was last seen moving eastward in the haze 
that hung over the Atlantic, those on the tugs saw a figure high 
upon the bridge waving a last farewell. 

Mr. Roosevelt and Kermit received a continuous ovation from 
the time they landed at the East River terminal of the Long Island 
Railroad from Oyster Bay to the sailing. There was a burst of 
cheers as the ferryboat landed at Thirty-fourth street, and as the 
party whirled through the city streets pedestrians catching a fleet- 
ing glimpse of the ex-President, cheered, took off their hats and 
waved farewell. 

THROUGH WONDERFUL TUNNEL. 

Mr. Roosevelt took the keenest interest in his first trip through 
the Hudson tube in a special train and took a position in the front 
car so that he might inspect the underground bore. He shook the 
motorman's hand after the trip, saying, "I want to shake hands with 
the man behind the gun." Mr. Roosevelt started the first train 
through the tunnel a year ago by pressing a button in the White 
House. 

On the trip from Oyster Bay scores of men and women stopped 
and shook Air. Roosevelt's hand, wishing him farewell and a success- 
ful trip. At Long Island City there were only a few who recog- 
nized 'Mr. Roosevelt and his son. After a brisk walk they boarded 
the ferryboat Hempstead. Here they were surrounded by a crowd 
of Long Island commuters, who came forward and extended their 
farewells. 

As the Hempstead entered her slip the captain of the boat from 
the pilot house called for "Three cheers for Teddy Roosevelt." 
Instantly there was a burst of cheers which lasted several minutes. 

Mr. Roosevelt was met here by Douglas Robinson, his brother- 
in-law, and Lawrence Abbott. The party proceeded to the Hudson 
tunnel in an automobile. 

To the newspaper men Mr. Roosevelt said : 



OFF FOR THE AFRICAN JUNGLE. 213 

"It's just a fine day to travel and ought to be fine at sea. I 
have received hundreds of telegrams wishing me a safe journey, but 
I will not give out the names of those who sent them. As I have 
said before, I have no statement to make, and it's strange you gentle- 
men of the press have not asked me this morning if I have a message 
for the American people. No, there is nothing to be said, and I 
really don't know why newspaper men should want to travel with 
me to Naples or Mombasa. Surely there is little likelihood of there 
being any incidents at sea. 

"You tell me that the photographer of Mr. Harmsworth's 
papers, who accompanied the Prince of Wales to India, is going 
to join us at Gibraltar. That will be fine, won't it, Kermit? He can 
help you. I cannot definitely say how long I shall be away, but it 
will be about 15 months. My lecture at Oxford will take place in 
the spring of 1910. I expect to have a good time, and I am sure the 
expedition will be a success." 

PUBLIC THANKS THROUGH PRESS. 

Later he received the newspaper men on the Hamburg, when 
he said: 

"Now, gentlemen, I am glad to see you. What can I tell you? 
Oh, yes; there is that picture (indicating a portrait of President 
Taft). It is very interesting, and very fine, don't you think so? 

"Oh, gentlemen, there is one thing that I desire very much to 
have you say for me. There is an immense mass of mail on board 
this steamship which has come to me and which I have not been 
able to open, and much of which I will not be able to open for some 
time. I have no stenographer with me. Since I left the White 
House I have received about 5000 to 6000 letters. Four-fifths of 
these I have not even seen. My thanks to the people who sent 
them is, however, none the less. Now, I wish that you would say 
for me that it will be only a waste of time for any one to write to 
me while I am in Africa. Again I will say that I deeply appreciate 
the courtesy of those who have written me, and take this occasion 
to give them my thanks." 

More than 1000 persons were crowded on the pier when Mr. 



214 OFF FOR THE AFRICAN JUNGLE. 

Roosevelt arrived, and they cheered tumultously. The Hamburg's 
band was on the promenade deck playing the "Star-Spangled 
Banner" and the "Watch on the Rhine." Hundreds of flags were 
hoisted aloft and the ship put in full dress. The pier at which the 
Hamburg lay was decorated with bunting and flags and the gang- 
way to the first cabin was draped with American flags. 

TRIBUTE FROM ITALIANS. 

A notable feature of the reception was the tribute paid by the 
Italian-American Chamber of Commerce. This body presented a 
bronze tablet bearing on one side a portrait of Mr. Roosevelt and 
on the other the scene of the Sicilian earthquake and a representa- 
tion of the goddess of peace placing a wreath on Roosevelt's head. 
The tablet was inscribed: 

"To Theodore Roosevelt: To you and the United States a 
tribute of thanksgiving from Italo-Americans for generous help to 
their stricken brethren of Calabria and Sicily." 

Several delegations from Italian societies were present, bring- 
ing a band, a floral offering and a large banner, which was erected 
on the pier. It bore the inscription: 

"Italo-Americans, let us shout, 'Long live President Roosevelt 
and the United States.' A tribute of thanksgiving on behalf of our 
brethren of Sicily and Calabria. Let us solemnly condemn any 
crime staining Italy's name. Let us here pledge our loyalty to 
American institutions. Long live America." 

It was when Mr. Roosevelt appeared on the after-gangplank 
to accept the tablet that the crowds swept him off his feet. As he 
came down the gangplank the cheering redoubled, and a party of 
college boys from Stevens Institute, in Hoboken, let loose their yell. 
On the way across the pier the lines of police escorting Mr. Roose- 
velt were broken through and the ex-President was swept toward 
the tablet by the crush. The crowd closed in solidly behind him, 
and while the police were endeavoring to fight off the on-rush, Mr. 
Roosevelt asked the speakers to cut the presentation ceremony short. 

Mr. Roosevelt in reply said: 

"I appreciate this very much. I want to thank you all. I can- 
not tell you how r deeply touched I am." 



OFF FOR THE AFRICAN JUNGLE. 215 

Mr. Roosevelt gave directions that the tablet be sent to Mrs. 
Roosevelt and turned back toward the ship. The police did their 
best to clear a way for him, but the crowd became demonstrative. 
Two policemen were knocked off their feet, but were not injured. 
As he neared the gangplank Mr. Roosevelt's hat flew off and the 
vacuum bottle which had been presented to him was knocked from 
his hand. He bowed his thanks when the articles were returned to 
him and smilingly called "I am all right." 

Everywhere he moved outside his apartments Mr. Roosevelt 
could not escape the leave takers. More than once he was nearly 
jostled off his feet, and on one occasion was saved by a policeman 
from a fall at the edge of a short flight of steps. 

HOME-FOLKS' GOOD-BYE. 

Former President Roosevelt's departure from his home town 
at 7 o'clock in the morning of the 23d was marked by an enthusiastic 
gathering of his fellow-citizens at the station to bid him Godspeed. 
Air. Roosevelt shook hands with those who pressed about him for a 
parting greeting, and there was a lusty cheer as the train moved 
out. 

Mr. Roosevelt was up with the sun and immediately all was 
astir at Sagamore Hill making ready for the three-mile drive to- the 
station. Kermit appeared alternately happy at the prospect of an 
exciting trip and not a little dejected at leaving home. 

Mr. Roosevelt bade good-bye to the family at the house and 
drove down to the station with Kermit and little Quentin, who sat 
on the front seat with Noah Seaman, the family driver. 

At the station Mr. Roosevelt kissed Quentin good-bye and there 
was a hint of tears in his eyes as he said farewell. He shook hands 
warmly with his driver and patted the neck of old Rustin, the family 
horse. "He is a bully good fellow," he said as he caressed the 
animal. 

Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., did not go to Hoboken to see his father 
embark for Africa. He spent Sunday at Oyster Bay and returned 
to Thompsonville, Conn., the following morning and was at his 
duties in the carpet works when his father and brother sailed. 



•21G OFF FOR THE AFRICAN JUNGLE. 

Former President Roosevelt spent the better part of the after- 
noon, his first few hours at sea, in resting from the fatigue of his 
strenuous departure. 

The weather was clear and balmy, the sea smooth, and alto- 
gether the day was such a one as would tempt the sea-voyager to 
the deck and open air. But Colonel Roosevelt had risen early and 
had passed through a most tiring though pleasing experience, so he 
decided, after luncheon, to seek the seclusion of his stateroom. 

Kermit Roosevelt and the other members of the party spent the 
afternoon in the open, resting in deck chairs. 

Mr. Roosevelt and his party had luncheon and dinner at Captain 
Burmeister's table. At both meals the ex-President's expedition 
into Africa was the chief topic. 

The voyage was uneventful save that Mr. Roosevelt was in 
serious danger off Ponta Delgada, in the Azores. 

NARROW ESCAPE IN AZORES. 

A great wave swept him into the sea from a small boat, in 
which he was returning from a visit to that city. 

Mr. Roosevelt's patriotism placed him in danger. He had been 
visiting the American Consul at Ponta Delgada, and as the small 
boat neared the side of the liner on the return trip the band struck 
up "The Star Spangled Banner." 

The former President rose and bared his head in respect for 
the anthem. Two sailors held him, for the sea was running high 
and choppy. As the national hymn ended the boat was pitching 
beside the Hamburg, and Mr. Roosevelt made a flying leap for the 
rope ladder that dangled from the side of the vessel. 

Just then the big wave tossed the boat, threw him from his 
balance and he went into the sea. He is a sturdy swimmer, but 
might have had a hard time of it in the rough water if the succeed- 
ing wave hadn't tossed him up almost to the foot of the rope ladder. 
The seamen who were hanging to that grabbed his arms and held 
him until he got a grip on the lowest rung and clambered up. 

He went at once to his cabin and took off his wet clothing. His 



OFF FOR THE AFRICAN JUNGLE, 217 

fellow-passengers gave him a rousing cheer when he appeared 
again at dinner. 

Another incident, which Mr. Roosevelt enjoyed even less than 
his ducking, was an attack of seasickness which seized him. 
Throughout the day the sea ran high, and the liner pitched consider- 
ably. 

With the familiar pallor of mal-de-mar, he retired from deck 
during the afternoon and was not interested in the dinner call. He 
did not appear in the dining-room, nor was there any meal sent to 
his cabin. He recovered sufficiently at 9 o'clock, however, to attend 
the ball and dance. 

KERMIT STARTS A ROMANCE. 

Romance-loving passengers aboard the Hamburg watched 
with great interest the progress of warm friendship which had 
sprung up between Kermit Roosevelt, the former President's son, 
and Miss Ruth Draper, a member of an old Massachusetts family 
and a niece of the late Charles A. Dana, the editor. 

There was a ball Saturday night. Kermit danced several times 
with Miss Draper. Mr. Roosevelt's one dance was with that charm- 
ing young woman. Kermit was her partner in some gymkana games 
held on deck later, and saw that she won some of the prizes. He 
strolled with her many times, too. His father looked on smilingly. 

No more unassuming passengers than Colonel Roosevelt ever 
sailed the seas. So subdued of demeanor has he been, indeed, that 
it is difficult to identify him with his former torrential personality. 

Notwithstanding his insistence that he is now merely a private 
citizen, the Royal Italian Immigration Commissioner insisted on 
giving up his seat at the Captain's right; but, barring the usual 
number of amateur photographers and autograph hunters, with all 
whose requests Mr. Roosevelt complied, the passengers as a whole 
recognized his evident desire to be treated merely as a fellow- 
traveler. The popularity of this new role was attested by the ani- 
mated groups which gathered each evening on deck and in the draw- 
ing room — groups of which he was the centre. 

A brief stop was made at Gibraltar, where the Roosevelt party 



218 OFF FOR THE AFRICAN JUNGLE. 

disembarked for a short tour of the fortifications, and another at 
Naples, where the former President, after a warm greeting from 
the Neapolitans, left the steamer Hamburg for the Admiral, which 
was to carry him to East Africa. 

The following day, April 6, the Admiral dropped anchor in 
the harbor of shattered Messina, where Mr. Roosevelt visited the 
Italian battleship Re Umberto as the guest of Victor Emmanuel II, 
King of Italy, who wished to personally thank the former President 
for the generous aid and sympathy extended by America to the 
survivors of the great earthquake of the previous winter. 

The King then acted as Mr. Roosevelt's pilot through the ruins 
of the once majestic city. Everywhere the American was met by 
as enthusiastic a greeting as the destitute survivors were capable. 
Their gratitude for his efforts toward the amelioration of their 
misery was unbounded, and it was with tears of joy in his eyes that 
the former President saw the evidences of good work that American 
dollars had done in that great emergency. 

The Admiral reached Port Said, the Mediterranean entrance 
to the Suez Canal, on the evening of April 9, passed Suez, the 
eastern terminus, the next night, and Aden, Arabia, on the 14th. 

The party sighted Mombasa, British East Africa, on the even- 
ing of April 21, eager for the hunt that awaited them. 

At last the former President's great ambition, to shoot big 
game, was on the eve of realization. 



CHAPTER XVII 
ROOSEVELT THE LION SLAYER. 

Great Preparations at Mombasa — Britons Take Special Pre- 
cautions — The Trip to the Jungle — Steeps to Music oe 
Lions' Roars — At Ju Ja Ranch — On the Kapiti Plains — ■ 
The Hunt Begins. 

'"THE preparations for the reception at Mombasa of Theodore 
* Roosevelt had long been in a state of completion. Sir James 
Hayes Sadler, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the protector- 
ate, who had been transferred suddenly to the Windward Islands, 
was very much disappointed that he was not able to receive the 
former President of the United States. This duty devolved upon 
Frederick John Jackson, Lieutenant Governor of the protectorate. 
Mr. Jackson is a famous sportsman and the author of the book on 
big game in the Badminton Library series. 

There were amusing phases to the expectancy with which the 
arrival of Col. Roosevelt was awaited. Since the advent of the 
rains lions had been terrifying the natives within four miles of 
Kilindini. An elephant that evidently had strayed from a herd made 
its way into the bazaar at Masingi and played havoc. The natives 
at Masingi had been assured that they need have no further fear, 
as Col. Roosevelt is on his way to the protectorate to hunt. 

They were awaiting Col. Roosevelt's arrival contentedly. 

Packages addressed to Col. Roosevelt had been arriving out on 
every steamer from London. They came principally from British 
firms in the export business. 

A cablegram had been sent to Col. Roosevelt at Aden inviting 
him to be the guest of the citizens of Mombasa at dinner on St. 
George's Day, April 23. This at first was declined, but finally was 
accepted in the spirit in which it was tendered. 

R. J. Cunninghame, a widely known hunter and field naturalist, 
who was to manage the Roosevelt expedition, completed his prepara- 

211) 



220 ROOSEVELT THE LION SLAYER. 

tion with much secrecy. He had not been seen in or about Nairobi 
for a fortnight. 

The government even constructed a new road to facilitate the 
landing of the Roosevelt party at Kilindini, the landing place for 
Mombasa. 

The steamer Melbourne, of the Messageries Lines, went on a 
reef in the harbor just before Col. Roosevelt's arrival. It was 
feared for a time that she would block the entrance to the steamer 
Admiral, but the steamer Oxus came in later and succeeded in pull- 
ing her off without damage. 

The Colonial Office in London had issued instructions to the 
Governor of the protectorate to surround Col. Roosevelt on his 
hunting trips with every possible precaution for his safety, since 
the mullahs of the Somalis inhabiting the desert country north of 
the protectorate were reported to be showing further signs of unrest, 
and were massing on the northern boundary of Kenya province. 

TROUBLE WAS FEARED. 

This restlessness first became evident some six months before, 
and there had been apprehension of trouble in the dry season, when 
travel over the trails is easier. 

This northern district always has been a territory to watch 
closely. 

When the natives do go out for trouble they generally bear to 
the westward in the direction of the settled districts and the good 
hunting grounds. 

There was therefore some local anxiety, particularly as a 
majority of the protectorate groups were at Berbera, in British 
Somaliland. 

Sir H. Hesketh-Bell, Governor and commander-in-chief of 
Uganda, having left Uganda April 28 for England, Col. Roosevelt 
and his party were first received in Uganda by S. C. Tomkins, one 
of the provincial commissioners. 

It had been decided that Kermit Roosevelt was to take a num- 
ber of short separate hunting trips vith a Portuguese hunter. 

For the first fortnight of their stay the Roosevelt party were 



ROOSEVELT THE LION SLAYER. 221 

the guests at Athi River of Sir Alfred Pease, a well-known hunter, 
who has a large estate at Kilina Theki. The second fortnight they 
were the guests of George McMillan at Ju Ja ranch. 

A local hunter had recently secured in the cannibal country 
an elephant whose tusks weighed 290 pounds. When Col. Roosevelt 
heard this he almost jumped for joy. "That promises good sport," 
he laughed. 

Meanwhile, all the town was on the qui vive. 

The manager of the railroad had come down from Nairobi. 
The superintendent of traffic also was there, and both officials went 
on the special train that took Col. Roosevelt and his party inland. 
Col. Roosevelt also was accompanied on this journey by the Gov- 
ernor of the protectorate. 

- Natives were coming into Mombasa from all parts, of the 
country to witness the disembarkation of the "Great White Chief." 
The rains were increasing, but there had been a decrease in the 
smallpox cases in the interior. 

FEAR PROVED UNFOUNDED. 

It was feared that the unusually heavy rains so late in the 
wet season would interfere greatly with the first part of Col. Roose- 
velt's stay in the protectorate. But this fear proved to be unfounded. 
The sky was clear and the climate, despite the equatorial sun, cool 
and invigorating. 

The actual route which Col. Roosevelt was to follow had not 
been definitely decided upon, but it was finally settled that several 
different trails should be taken from Nairobi as headquarters. 

Baron Tallian de Vizek, a famous Hungarian hunter, who had 
just passed through Mombasa returning home, reported that big- 
game prospects were good. His party went from Nairobi to the 
west and traveled across the Athi plains to the Athi River, thence 
to Mount Donyo Sabuk as far as the Upper Tana River. 

He reported common antelope and zebra plentiful, but when 
stalking elands and gnu at the foot of Mount Dwiniaro he was 
interfered with by rhinoceri. 

Again Col. Roosevelt laughed gleefully. Turning to Kermit 



222 ROOSEVELT THE LION SLAYER. 

he chuckled: ''Guess we won't have our trip for nothing-, eh, 
Kermit !" Indeed, from the moment his eyes first landed on the 
jungle, the former President seemed the very personification of 
glee. 

A fortnight before when Baron de Vizek attempted to avoid 
rhinoceri on his right, he found another crowd on his left and 
seven in front. Being anxious to secure a bull eland holding the 
finest head he had seen, the Baron had no option but to push for- 
ward, a movement which two old rhino bulls resented. They 
charged viciously and gave the hunter no opportunity of evading 
them. The Baron expressed regret that he was obliged to sacrifice 
them, as he had already secured better heads. 

Apart from the rhinoceros nuisance he recommended this route, 
especially for elands, giraffes and hippopotami, which latter gave 
him great sport on the Tana. Lions were met on several occasions. 

GREAT GROUP OF LIONS FOUND. 

The report of a record group of lions on the Nandi Plateau 
and elephants in the Elburgon forest also was confirmed, greatly 
to the glee of the American. 

British East Africa and Uganda have entertained probably 
more "great" people within five years than any other portion of 
the British Empire. Royal reigning dukes, brothers and cousins 
of kings and emperors, British and Continental statesmen of high 
degree, all have received that unostentatious but genuine welcome 
which characterizes colonial peoples. 

The occasion of Ex-President Roosevelt's visit was unique in 
the fact that he was the first famous American statesman to set 
foot in East Africa. 

The people who are pioneers in what once was "Darkest 
Africa" are of a different stamp to the pioneers who made Canada 
and Australia what they are. The British East Africa colonist has 
been drawn chiefly from the hardier of Great Britain's aristocracy 
and from the educated middle classes. All are sportsmen in the best 
sense of the term ; all are men with whom the Ex-President imme- 
diately could be on friendly terms. There was no crowding on the 



ROOSEVELT THE LION SLAYER. 223 

privacy of a visitor when once the shoot commenced, nor any 
unsportsmanlike attempt to spoil a sport by following close on the 
party's track. 

The route when finally mapped out for Col. Roosevelt was his 
route and his route alone; other big game sportsmen and inland 
traders respected that route as if it were a drive in a private park. 

Kilindini Harbor (the place of deep waters) was the port of 
debarkation, and Mombasa (the place of war) was the place of 
residence, where the distinguished visitor was able to do the "sight- 
seeing" of which he wrote to the Boston League of Mercy. 

He also visited Freretown (the place of freedom) where only 
a few years ago the decree of the late Sultan of Zanzibar was read, 
forbidding the continuance of slavery. He was able to stand on 
the spot where, even in the time of his own youth, wretched slaves, 
raided in the fiercest manner by the famous Arab chief, Tippu-Tip, 
were put up for auction as goods and chattels and eagerly pur- 
chased by the old Mombasa Arabs, many of whom are living in 
ease now on their ill-gotten gains. 

MASSIVE FORT OF OLDEN AGE. 

The massive fort begun by the Arab conquerors in the seventh 
century, and finished by the Portuguese in the days of Vasco Da 
Gama, also was visited. Every stone w r as laid by slaves under the 
whips of their masters, and for every stone a life was paid. 

Within the grim walls of this fort history has been written in 
blood. Nine times has the ownership of the famous edifice changed 
hands. First the Arab and then the white man, and then again the 
Arab, have fought hand to hand within its walls, until the time of 
the final massacre. This was when Yussuf, a baptized Arab, 
defeated the Portuguese governor, and put to death every white 
man, woman and child in the place. 

Col. Roosevelt's national pride was deeply stirred when he 
inspected the locomotives that were to carry him in comfort over 
the continent in two days, on a journey which took Stanley three 
months of the greatest discomfort and personal danger. These 
locomotives are the product of Philadelphia. 



224 ROOSEVELT THE LION SLAYER. 

Col. Roosevelt found that British East Africa provides food 
for the anthropologist as well as the entomologist, zoologist and 
historian. Each great native tribe is bound up in its own civiliza- 
tion, its own customs, its own religions and its own physical and 
mental characteristics, and the march of Western civilization can 
be clearly and peculiarly denoted by the wearing apparel, or its 
absence, of the fashionable native women. 

At the coast the women adopt picturesque costumes of fancy 
patterned cotton prints and huge silver hand-worked anklets of 
many pounds weight. 

In the highlands around Nakuru the fashions change. The 
dressed skins of wild game displace cotton manufactures and roll 
upon roll of bright iron and copper wire, bound tightly around the 
upper and nether limbs, complete the costume. Then again in 
some districts wearing apparel is exceedingly scant. 

A GRAND RECEPTION. 

But before going into the detail of the hunt it may be well to 
detail the great reception awarded the distinguished visitor at 
Mombasa. 

The steamer Admiral, bearing Col. Roosevelt, entered Kilin- 
dini harbor, flying the American flag at her fore and main masts. 
She dipped the German ensign while passing the British cruiser 
Pandora, whose rails and masts were manned by cheering sailors. 
The Pandora saluted the Ex-President, who was on the bridge. 

The first word of the sighting of the Admiral brought the 
people of Mombasa in crowds to vantage points, where they might 
catch a glimpse of the distinguished visitor. 

The Admiral came slowly up to the harbor and it was dark 
when Col. Roosevelt, his son Kermit and the captain were brought 
ashore in the commandant's surfboat and carried to a place of 
shelter in chairs on natives' shoulders. 

There was a perfect deluge of rain, but in reply to the expres- 
sions of regret at this, Col. Roosevelt said he was glad to get ashore 
in any weather. He added that he was in splendid health and that 
the start to the hunting grounds could not come a minute too soon. 



ROOSEVELT THE LION SLAYER. 225 

The Governor's aide boarded the Admiral and extended a wel- 
come to Col. Roosevelt, who received another cordial greeting on 
shore from the provincial commissioner, who conducted him to the 
government house. 

R. F. Cunninghame, the hunter and field naturalist, who had 
charge of the preparations for the expedition, also was on hand at 
the pier. 

Col. Roosevelt was pleased highly when he observed the mili- 
tary guard drawn up. He replied to the salute by doffing his hat 
and smiling broadly. The crowds pressing forward to see the noted 
American included Europeans, Indians and natives, and presented 
a picturesque appearance. While genuinely hearty in their welcome, 
the people were not demonstrative. 

CAPTAIN DINES ROOSEVELT. 

The week's voyage from Aden was interrupted only by a short 
stop at Mogadiscio, in Italian Somaliland. A feature of the trip 
was the captain's dinner to Col. Roosevelt. The saloon was deco- 
rated artistically and much enthusiasm was shown over the speeches, 
which were exchanged in good fellowship. 

In toasting the Ex-President the captain wished him Godspeed 
and a safe return to the United States. Col. Roosevelt replied, first 
in English and then in German and French. 

It had been the intention of the Ex-President to remain in 
Mombasa two days, but the floods had been heavy, and it was deemed 
advisable to change this plan. The special train, which was to 
carry Col. Roosevelt and his party to Sir Alfred Pease's ranch on 
the Athi River, left at 2 o'clock the next afternoon. 

The acting Governor of the protectorate, Frederick J. Jackson, 
entertained the Ex-President at dinner and later they proceeded to 
one of the clubs. The Roosevelt party were taken in carriages about 
the town the following morning, and, so far as possible, the Gov- 
ernor and his associates strove to meet the special instructions from 
King Edward to show every consideration to the distinguished 
traveler. F. C. Selous, the English hunter, was also a^guest at the 

15— T.R. 



oof, ROOSEVELT THE LION SLAYER. 

dinner. He accompanied Col. Roosevelt on his first shooting expe- 
dition at the Pease ranch. 

Col. Roosevelt and the members of his party left Mombasa on 
a special train at 2.30 o'clock on the afternoon of the 226. for Kapiti 
Plains Station, whence they were conveyed to the ranch of Sir 
Alfred Pease for their first shooting trip. The party was accom- 
panied by F. J. Jackson, acting Governor of the protectorate. 

Before leaving Col. Roosevelt telegraphed to King Edward, 
thanking him for the message of greeting read by Mr. Jackson at 
the dinner given in Col. Roosevelt's honor at the Mombasa Club 
the preceding night. 

A guard of honor composed of marines and blue jackets from 
the Pandora was at the railroad station when the Roosevelt party 
arrived, and was inspected by Col. Roosevelt. A number of officials 
and civilians also were present, and the station building was 
decorated with flags. 

LEFT THE BIG STICK AT HOME. 

Col. Roosevelt spent the morning at the Government House, 
where he was the guest the preceding night of Mr. Jackson. 

From Mombasa Col. Roosevelt dispatched a cablegram to the 
Emperor of Germany, saying: 

"I desire to express my appreciation of my treatment on board 
the German steamship Admiral, under Captain Doherr, and my 
admiration of the astounding energy and growth of the mercantile 
and colonial interests of Germany in East Africa." 

At the banquet Mr. Jackson said that the Ex-President had 
left the "Big Stick" at home, and after seven strenuous years as 
President of the United States had come out to Africa to make use 
of the rifle. In conclusion he promised the distinguished visitor an 
immense variety of game and good sport. 

When Col. Roosevelt arose to reply he was enthusiastically 
received with full Highland musical honors. He began with a 
tribute to the British people for their energy and genius in civiliz- 
ing the uncivilized places of the earth. He said he was surprised 
at what he bad heard of the progress of British East Africa, but 



ROOSEVELT THE LION SLAYER. 227 

he warned his hearers that they could not expect to achieve in a 
short time what it had taken America twenty generations to accom- 
plish. He then emphasized the necessity of leaving local questions 
to be solved by the authorities on the spot, and commented on the 
fact that the people at home knew little of affairs abroad. In this 
connection he instanced the United States and the Philippine Islands. 
Continuing, Col. Roosevelt expressed his great pleasure at the 
welcome given him by the British cruiser Pandora, whose rails and 
masts were manned by cheering sailors when the Admiral came into 
the harbor. He said he believed in peace, but considered that 
strength meant peace, and he hoped that all the great nations would 
provide themselves with this means to the end. 

LULLED TO SLEEP BY LION ROARS. 

He was followed by Mr. Selous, who expressed the hope that 
Col. Roosevelt would in the future use the power of his position to 
bring about an entente between Great Britain and Germany. 

The following night Col. Roosevelt reached the hunting 
grounds and slept to the music of the roaring of lions in the nearby 
jungle. Needless to say, his joy was unbounded at spending his 
first night in Africa under canvas. 

A big camp had been established near the railroad station for 
the expedition, and lions were prowling about in the vicinity of the 
tents. The country was green, owing to the recent rains, and there 
was every prospect of good sport. The commoner varieties of game 
were very plentiful, and the huntsmen lost no time in getting started 
on their shooting trips. 

The special train bearing the Roosevelt party from Mombasa 
arrived at Kapiti Plains at half past one o'clock in the afternoon. 
Only the members of the party got off at Kapiti Plains. F. J. 
Jackson, the Acting Governor of the protectorate, and the other 
officials who came up from Mombasa continued on to Nairobi. 

The camp established for Roosevelt was most elaborate. The 
caravan had a total of 260 followers. There were thirteen tents 
for the Europeans and their horses and sixty tents for the porters. 

An American flag was flying over the tent occupied by Col. 

20 p 



228 ROOSEVELT THE LION SLAYER. 

Roosevelt. All the native porters of the expedition were lined up 
on the platform when the Roosevelt special pulled in, and as the 
Ex-President stepped down from the train they shouted a salute in 
his honor. In response Col. Roosevelt raised his hat. 

Col. Roosevelt was welcomed at the station by Sir Alfred Pease, 
who was his host on the Athi River. Col. Roosevelt was dressed 
in a khaki suit and a white helmet. The weather was bright and 
warm. 

Col. Roosevelt, F. J. Jackson, F. C. Selous and Major M earns 
rode on a broad seat attached to the cow catcher of the locomotive 
from Mombasa as far as Mackinnon road, a distance of about 50 
miles. The visitors were delighted with this experience, and the 
Ex-President was deeply impressed with the marvelous scenery 
that unfolded itself to his view. 

SEE GAME FROM TRAIN. 

They had a magnificent view of snow-capped Kilimanjaro. 
Plenty of game was seen from the train, including about twenty 
giraffes, with their young, close to the line; wildebeestes, hart'e- 
beestes, waterbucks, zebras, duikers, guinea fowl, ostriches in great 
number, and one rhinoceros. 

The other passengers on the special train included Mr. Sandi- 
ford, local superintendent of the railroad line; Mr. Cruikshank, the 
traffic manager; W. J. Monson, secretary of the administration; J. 
H. Wilson, a member of the Legislative Council, and R. F. Cun- 
ninghame, the manager of the Roosevelt expedition. 

The party planned to have several days in camp before going 
on to Nairobi. At the conclusion of the visit with Sir Alfred Pease 
Col. Roosevelt was to go to the Ju Ja ranch and be the guest of 
George McMillan. After this he designed to shoot buffalo at Hugh 
Pleatley's kamid ranch, fifteen miles from Nairobi, on the Forthall 
road. 

Before leaving Mombasa Col. Roosevelt received an address of 
welcome from the American missionaries. He wished to visit at 
least three mission stations while in the protectorate. 

After a short hunting expedition at Kapiti Plains, Ex-Presi- 



ROOSEVELT THE LION SLAYER. 229 

dent Roosevelt and his party broke camp and started for the ranch 
of Sir Alfred Pease, on the Athi River. 

Col. Roosevelt spent part of the previous afternoon sorting 
his kit, while Kermit and several of the men went to try their luck 
with the rifles. An old settler, who seemed to take a liking to 
Kermit, offered to show him a likely place for good sport. They 
succeeded in bringing down one buck. 

ROOSEVELT SHOOTS A THOMPSON'S GAZELLE. 

Col. Roosevelt's first hunt was favored by fine weather, and he 
enjoyed the experience immensely. He bagged two wildebeests 
and a Thompson's gazelle. 

In one respect Col. Roosevelt was somewhat disappointed, as 
he had been anxious to secure a Grant's gazelle, whose massive 
horns are much sought after for trophies. The hunt lasted several 
hours and all the members of the party were tired out when they 
returned to camp. 

Smallpox was prevalent at Nairobi, and several cases developed 
among the porters at Kapiti. These were quarantined and the 
strictest precautions were observed to prevent a spread of the dis- 
ease among those attached to the Roosevelt party. The danger of 
this, however, was considered slight. 

The police still maintained their measures for the protection 
of the American from annoyance. They would not permit any 
except those designated by Col. Roosevelt to go with the expedition. 
It had been definitely learned that none of Col. Roosevelt's baggage 
was missing and that nothing had been stolen as at first was feared. 

The wildebeests, of which Col. Roosevelt killed two, are gen- 
erally known as the gnu, the Hottentot name. This animal is of 
a sub-family of antelopes and resembles a "horned horse." The 
mane and tail are like a horse's. The legs are slender as those of 
the gazelle. These animals, when captured young, may be tamed, 
but if caught at a mature age, they behave like mad in captivity. 

When chased on horseback they often give the pursuer a lively 
time on account of their endurance and great speed. The young 
are playful and will circle around a caravan for hours showing a 



230 ROOSEVELT THE LION SLAYER. 

marked curiosity in everything the traveler is doing. The flesh of 
the gnu is palatable and the horns are made into knife handles and 
other articles. 

The Thompson gazelle which Col. Roosevelt shot and the 
Grant's gazelle which he failed to get, are members of a large 
family. The gazelle is one of the most graceful animals known. Its 
eyes are large and liquid and the poets of the East always likened 
the eyes of their lady loves to them. The animal is often hunted 
with greyhounds and falcons. 

When hunted with dogs alone the gazelle easily outstrips the 
pursuit running swiftly and making tremendous leaps over obstacles 
ten feet high without apparent exertion. When a falcon is used 
the bird will rise high in the air and swoop down on its quarry, 
fixing its talons near the long, lyre-shaped horns and harass the 
animal till the hounds come up. 

LION -SLAYING RECORDS BROKEN. 

There are many species of the gazelle, ranging from three feet 
in height to five and six feet. The springbok is one. of the largest 
species and it is known to make vertical jumps in the air with its 
legs folded. 

Before Col. Roosevelt had been in Africa a week, he had 
broken all records for lion killing in the British protectorate. 

The caravan started early Thursday morning from the ranch 
of Sir Alfred Pease, on the Athi River, and proceeded slowly to 
the Man Hills. This range is open for wide areas, but in places 
is covered with dense growths where game is plentiful. The first 
night in camp was without especial incident, no attempt being made 
to go after lions, although their call was heard now and then during 
the course of the night, but at dawn the camp was astir and the 
drive speedily organized. 

The scene was beautiful beyond human power of description. 
Far off to the north, but because of its great altitude seeming but 
a few miles away, majestic Mount Kenya reared its snow-capped 
peak eighteen thousand feet into the heavens. Its gently sloping- 
sides, rising from the tropical jungles and topped by its crown of 



ROOSEVELT THE LION SLAYER. 231 

eternal ice, seemed a world in itself, are clothed in successive, con- 
centric belts, with every kind of crop and climate known in the 
world, from the equator to the Arctic circle. 

Unawed by the magnificent spectacle, the native beaters set 
out in all directions under the instruction of the "head man," armed 
with all sorts of noise-making devices, which could not but arouse 
any game within earshot. Some of the beats proved blanks, but by 
nightfall no less than ten kinds of game had been bagged. Mr. 
Selous accompanied Col. Roosevelt. 

As a rule the beaters go into the jungle with considerable trepi- 
dation, but as Col. Roosevelt's reputation as a hunter had reached 
Africa long before he arrived in person, the beaters on this occasion 
were exceptionally enthusiastic. They seemed even eager to play 
a part in the first hunt of the distinguished American. 

Kermit during the greater part of the day did more effective 
work with his camera than he did with his gun, he and the other 
members of the party allowing Col. Roosevelt the much prized shots. 

FOUR LIONS IN ONE DAY. 

Four lions were trophies of Col. Roosevelt's camp in the Mau 
Hills that night, and the two hundred or more natives were joining 
with the American party in the celebration of the unusually good 
luck. 

Of the lions bagged Col. Roosevelt's gun brought three to 
earth, each on the first shot. Thus one of the former President's 
fondest ambitions had been realized, and he was proud, too, that 
the fourth of the jungle kings fell before the rifle of his son Kermit, 
who, however, took three shots to kill his quarry. 

Both father and son were jubilant. It was their first lion hunt, 
and so magnificent a kill was far beyond their expectations. 

Col. Roosevelt was living up to the reputation which he had 
gained of being a crack shot. 

All of the lions were of normal size, and after the natives had 
dragged them together in the grass they executed the usual dance 
around the trophies. 

The details of the hunt differed little from the usual procedure 



232 



ROOSEVELT THE LION SLAYER. 



in the region. It may be interesting, therefore, to read what the Rt. 
Hon. Winston Churchill, Under Secretary of State for the Colonies 
of Great Britain, and whose visit to these jungles but a short time 
preceded Col. Roosevelt's has to say of lion hunting there. 

"Nothing causes the East African colonist more genuine con- 
cern than that his guest should not have been provided with a lion. 
The knowledge preys upon his mind until it becomes a veritable 
obsession. He feels some deep reproach is laid upon his own hos- 
pitality and the reputation of his adopted country. How to find 
and, having found, to kill a lion is the unvarying theme of conversa- 
tion; and every place and every journey is judged by a simple stand- 
ard — 'lions or no lions.' 

"At the Thika camp, then, several gentlemen, accomplished in 
this important sport, have come together with ponies, rifles, Somalis 
and all the other accessories. Some zebras and kongoni have been 
killed and left lying in likely looking places to attract the lions, and 
at 4 a. m v rain or shine, we are to go and look for them. 

WAYS OF LION HUNTERS. 

"The white resident hunter cuts a hardy figure. His clothes 
are few and far between; a sun hat, a brown flannel shirt with 
sleeves cut above the elbow and open to the chest, a pair of thin 
khaki knickerbockers cut short five inches — at least — above the 
knee, boots and a pair of putties comprise the whole attire. Nothing 
else is worn. The skin, exposed to sun, thorns and insects, becomes 
almost as dark as that of the natives, and so hardened that it is 
nothing to ride all day with bare knees on the saddle — a truly Spar- 
tan discipline from which at least the visitor may be excused. 

"This is the way in which they hunt lions. First find the lion, 
lured to a kill, driven from a reed bed or kicked up incontinently by 
the way. Once viewed, he must never be lost sight of for a moment. 
Mounted on ponies of more or less approved fidelity, three or four 
daring whites or Somalis gallop after him across rocks, holes, tus- 
socks, nullahs, through high grass, thorn scrub, undergrowth, turn- 
ing him, shepherding him, heading him this way and that, until he 
is brought to bay. 



ROOSEVELT THE LION SLAYER. 233 

"For his part the lion is no seeker of quarrels; he is often 
described in accents of contempt. His object throughout is to save 
his skin. If, being unarmed, you meet six or seven lions unexpect- 
edly, all you need do — according to my information — is to speak 
to them sternly and they will slink away, while you throw a few 
stones at them to hurry them up. 

"But when pursued from place to place, chased hither and 
thither by the wheeling horsemen, the naturally mild disposition 
of the lion becomes embittered. First he begins to growl and roar 
at his enemies, in order to terrify them and make them leave him in 
peace. Then he darts little short charges at them. Finally, when 
every attempt at peaceful persuasion has failed, he pulls up abruptly 
and offers battle. 

"Once he has done this he will run no more. He means to 
fight, and to fight to the death. He means to charge home; and 
when a lion, maddened with the agony of a bullet wound, distressed 
by long and hard pursuit, or, most of all, a lioness in defense of her 
cubs, is definitely committed to the charge, death is the only possible 
conclusion. 

"Broken limbs, broken jaws, a body raked from end to end, 
lungs pierced through and through, entrails torn and protruding — 
none of these count. It must be death — instant and utter — for the 
lion, or down goes the man, mauled by septic claws and fetid teeth, 
crushed and crunched, and poisoned afterward to make doubly sure. 

"It is at the stage when the lion has been determinedly "bayed" 
that the real sportsman is usually introduced upon the scene. He 
has, -we may imagine, followed the riders as fast as the inequalities 
of the ground, his own want of training and the burden of a heavy 
rifle will allow him. He arrives at the spot where the lion is 
cornered in much the same manner as the matador enters the arena, 
the others standing aside deferentially, ready to aid or divert the 
lion. If his bullet kills he is, no doubt, justly proud. If it only 
wounds, the lion charges the nearest horseman. For forty yards 
the charge of a lion is swifter than the gallop of a racehorse. The 
riders, therefore, usually avoid waiting within that distance. 




234 



ANIMALS, REPTILES AND FISHES OF THE TROPICS. 



CHAPTER XVIII 

Col. Roosevelt a Remarkable Hunter — All Records Broken — 
Bags a Bull Rhinoceros — Shoots a Giraffe in the Neck 
\t 400 Yards — Col. Roosevelt Kills His First Elephant 
— Bags a Leopard and Captures the Leopard's Cubs 
Alive — Arrives at the Ju Ja Ranch — Col. Roosevelt 
Delighted. 

/^OL. ROOSEVELT'S hunting in Africa and his expedition 
^-^ has been successful enough to satisfy the most exacting of 
men. Not only has he broken the record for the number of lions 
killed by one man, but he has secured giraffes, elephants, rhino- 
ceroses, buffalos, hippopotami and leopard as well, to say nothing 
of a number of less important game. His first ten days' hunting 
yielded twenty-seven head of big game of many different species. 

When not occupied in searching for specimens or writing he 
spends his time practicing shooting. When particularly delighted 
with the result of his day's hunting he spends the evening at the 
camp-fire, pointing out how Africa could be made a great country. 

Col. Roosevelt undoubtedly owes his life to his courage and 
unerring aim, which combination brought death to a huge bull 
rhinoceros near Machakos. 

Charged by a huge rhinoceros, Theodore Roosevelt, Ex-Presi- 
dent of the L T nited States, raised his rifle and waited. 

On came the maddened beast, crashing through the reeds, his 
ugly horned head bent low, the impact of his powerful feet making 
the earth tremble. 

He was forty paces distant, his squeal was heard above the 
snapping of the brush; he was thirty paces away and his blood- 
shot eyes glistened like rubies; twenty paces between the hunter 
and the bulky monster, whose hot breath raised the temperature 
even in that torrid climate: fourteen paces to go and no downs 
Then— 

235 



2.36 COLONEL RGOSEVELT A REMARKABLE HUNTER. 

Theodore Roosevelt glanced casually along the barrel of his 
deadly rifle. Crack ! A single shot and the ferocious and dreadful 
rhinoceros of the jungle hesitated, rocked and pitched forward on 
his knees, dead. 

The bullet was fatal, but so fierce was the rush of the giant 
rhinoceros that it plunged almost to the feet of the Colonel. 

The rhinoceros, the first that the party had bagged, was 
encountered unexpectedly while making a short sortie from the 
camp near Machakos, some fifty miles south of Nairobi. 

The native beaters had made a wide detour movement, and a 
returning signal soon told the hunters to be on the alert. Within 
a few moments the stalked animal gave its own warning, and, 
with furious snorts, it broke through the underbush electrifying 
the Colonel, who expected to meet his sixth lion. 

CHARGED BY A BULL RHINOCEROS. 

The bull came into a clearing at a point about two hundred 
yards from Col. Roosevelt, and immediately charged upon the 
party. Realizing the danger that beset " Bwana Tumbo," others in 
the party were on the point of firing, but Col. Roosevelt held them 
in check while he stepped immediately in the path of the oncoming 
infuriated beast. With wonderful coolness, such as no American 
hunter ever exceeded, Col. Roosevelt took deliberate aim and fired. 
A second shot would have been impossible, but a second shot was 
not necessary, as the first had pierced the animal's brain. 

When the rhinoceros tumbled over Col. Roosevelt enjoyed the 
keenest moment of pleasure that he has had in Africa. The fact 
that he had saved his life did not seem to appeal to him half as much 
as the fact that he had added a rhinoceros to his collection and under 
conditions that any hunter in the world might well have envied. 

Col. Roosevelt was warmly congratulated for his coolness and 
skill, and when the natives returned and saw the huge beast dead 
they were more certain than ever that their title of Bwana Tumbo 
had not been misapplied. 

The rhinoceros made the forty-fifth animal that has been killed 
by Col. Roosevelt and his son Kermit. The kill represents fifteen 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT A REMARKABLE HUNTER. 237 

varieties, an unsurpassed record for the time that the party has 
been in the field. 

The rhinoceros which was of unusual size, will undoubtedly 
make one of the most prized items in Col. Roosevelt's collection. 

The flesh of the rhinoceros is apt to be rather tough, but is of 
good flavor. The best portions are those which are cut from the 
upper part of the shoulder and from the ribs, where the fat and 
the lean parts are regularly striped to the depth of two inches. 
If a large portion of the meat is to be cooked at one time, the flesh 
is generaliy baked in the cavity of a forsaken ant-hill, which is 
covered into an extempore oven for the occasion ; but if a single 
hunter should need only to assuage his own hunger, he cuts a 
series of slices from the ribs, and dresses them at his fire. 

THE RHINOCEROS A QUICK BEAST IN TEMPER. 

All the species of rhinoceros are very quick in their temper, 
and liable to flash out into anger without any provocation whatever. 
During these fits of rage they are dangerous neighbors, and are apt 
to attack any moving object that may be within their reach. In 
one well-known instance, where a rhinoceros made a sudden dash 
upon a number of picketed horses, and killed many of them by the 
strokes of his horn, the animal had probably been irritated by some 
unknown cause, and wrecked his vengence on the nearest victims. 

The rhinoceros is always vicious, and, like the elephant, the 
buffalo, and many other animals, will conceal himself in some 
thicket, and thence dash out upon any moving object that may 
approach his retreat. 

Sometimes the rhinoceros will commence a series of most 
extraordinary antics, and seeming to have a spite against some 
particular bush, will rip it with his horn, trample it with his feet, 
roaring and grunting all the while, and will never cease until he 
has cut it into shreds and levelled it to the ground. He will also 
push the point of his horn into the earth, and career along, ploughing 
up the ground as if a furrow had been cut by some agricultural 
implement. In such case it seems that the animal is not laboring 



238 COLONEL ROOSEVELT A REMARKABLE HUNTER. 

under a fit of rage, as might be supposed, but is merely exulting in 
his strength, and giving vent to the exuberence of health and violent 
physical exertion. 

The rhinoceros is a good aquatic, and will voluntarily swim for 
considerable distances. It is very fond of haunting the river-banks 
and wallowing in the mud, so as to case itself with a thick coat of 
that substance, in order to shield itself from the mosquitoes and 
other mordant insects which cluster about the tender places, and 
drive the animal, thick-skinned though it may be, half-mad with 
their constant and painful bites. 

The skin of the rhinoceros is of very great thickness and 
strength, bidding defiance to ordinary bullets, and forcing the hunter 
to provide himself with balls which have been hardened with tin 
or solder. The extreme strength of the skin is well known to the 
African natives, who manufacture it into shields and set a high 
value on these weapons of defense. 

A REMARKABLE SHOT. 

That Col. Roosevelt has a keen eye and is a remarkable shot 
will be shown by the fact that he shot a giraffe dead, with a bullet 
through the neck, at a distance of 400 yards. This feat he per- 
formed, incidental to bagging another giraffe. 

Wherefore the former President was proclaimed the most 
famous shot who ever hunted in East Africa, his feat being the 
more remarkable because the giraffe he shot at 400 yards was in 
full gallop when he pulled the trigger. "Bwana Tumbo" made this 
record while hunting with his son and five porters a few miles south 
of Machakos. 

The buffalo shot by former President Roosevelt was one of the 
typical and common South African species, which was equal in size 
to the Indian or Water Buffalo, the largest of which stand six feet 
high at the withers and has a spread of horns sometimes exceeding 
six feet. The South African type has a bluish-black hide, in old age 
almost completely hairless. Like the buffalo of the American plains 
The African species has upward-curving horns, but with a greater 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT A REMARKABLE HUNTER. 239 

sweep. It lacks the shoulder hump which is characteristic of the 
American bison or buffalo. 

The African buffalo are justly regarded as exceedingly danger- 
ous by sportsmen. When wounded they will charge with extreme 
speed and ferocity. 

During the hunt Col. Roosevelt shot a leopard, capturing the 
leopard's cubs alive. 

This animal is one of the most graceful of the graceful tribe 
of cats, and, although far less in dimensions than the tiger, chal- 
lenges competition with that animal in the beautiful markings of 
its fur, and the easy elegance of its movements. It is possessed of 
an accomplishment which is not within the powers "of the lion or 
tiger, being able to climb trees with singular agility, and even to 
chase the tree-loving animals among their familiar haunts. 

A GRACEFUL ANIMAL. 

In Africa the leopard is well known and much dreaded, for it 
possesses a most crafty brain, as well as an agile body and sharp 
teeth and claws. It commits sad depredations on flocks and herds, 
and has sufficient foresight to lay up a little stock of provisions for 
a future day. 

When attacked it will generally endeavor to slink away, and 
to escape the observation of its pursuers; but if it is wounded, and 
finds no mode of eluding its foes it becomes furious, and charges 
at them with such determinate rage, that unless it falls a victim to 
a well-aimed shot, it may do fearful damage before it yields up its 
life. 

Col. Roosevelt and party started out early one morning along 
the wooded shores and swamps in search of hippopotami. 

They occasionally saw the uncouth head of a hippopotamus 
protrude from the water, and the Colonel decided to shoot one, hit- 
ting it behind the ear, which is a vulnerable spot, and it spun around 
in a huge circle like a great top, emitting horrifying sounds, until it 
died, and the body floated on the water. 

This enormous quadruped is a native of various parts of 
Africa, and is always found either in water or in its near vicinity. 



240 COLONEL ROOSEVELT A REMARKABLE HUNTER. 

In absolute height it is not very remarkable, as its legs are extremely 
short, but the actual bulk of its body is very great indeed. 

The average height of a full-grown hippopotamus is about five 
feet. Its naked skin is dark brown, curiously marked with innumer- 
able lines like those on "crackle" china or old oil-paintings, and is 
also dappled with a number of sooty black spots, which cannot be 
seen except on a close inspection. 

A vast number of pores penetrate the skin, and exude a thick, 
oily liquid, which effectually seems to protect the animal from the 
injurious effects of the water in which it is so constantly immersed. 
The mouth is enormous and its size is greatly increased by the odd 
manner in which the jaw is set in the head. 

There are various modes of hunting the mischievous but val- 
uable animals, each of which is in vogue in its own peculiar region. 

DIFFICULT TO KILL THE HIPPOPOTAMUS. 

The white hunter of course employs his rifle and finds that the 
huge animal affords no easy mark, as unless it is hit in a mortal spot 
it dives below the surface and makes good its escape. Mortal spots, 
moreover, are not easy to find, or when found, to hit ; for the animal 
soon gets cunning after it has been alarmed, and remains deeply 
immersed in the water as long as it is able, and when it at last comes 
to the surface to breathe, it only just pushes its nostrils above the 
surface, takes in the required amount of air, and sinks back again 
to the river bed. 

News filtered into Nairobi from the Roosevelt camp of a thrill- 
ing adventure of Kermit Roosevelt. He was lost for a whole night 
in the wilds and wandered about until daylight when he stumbled 
on Kiu Station and soon got his bearings. Kermit had been hunting 
by himself considerably since the party went to Machakos, and was 
out in search of big game when he was surprised by sudden dark- 
ness, nightfall in this region coming without much preliminary 
twilight. 

Kermit who was on horseback, turned in what he thought was 
the direction of the camp, but lost his direction, and wandered west- 
ward toward the Ferman boundary. He soon found himself in the 




16 r.i; 



241 



242 COLONEL ROOSEVELT A REMARKABLE HUNTER 

barren waste toward that line which is both unwatered and unin- 
habited. After riding slowly for a time he realized that he had lost 
his bearings and instinctively turned backward. 

He rode very slowly for hours, taking the direction from his 
pocket compass and with the dawn located the Kiu Station. He 
was then 20 miles south of the Machakos camp and rode in just as 
an expedition was getting ready to go in search of him. 

ROOSEVELT FOLLOWED A LION INTO A THICKET. 

Theodore Roosevelt kills his first elephant. It was a frig 
"tusker," and the former President picked it out of a herd of about 
a dozen. A baby elephant about two months old was roped and 
taken alive, and it was sent as a gift from Col. Roosevelt to the New 
York Zoological Gardens. 

Col. Roosevelt, his son Kermit, and F. C. Selous had a narrow 
escape from the elephant which fell a prize. The men were out 
before daybreak for lions near Machakos, and there had been no 
report of elephants in the district. They wounded a lion returning 
to its lair, and the animal led them on a chase of several miles. 

Selous advised against following the lion into a thicket, but 
Roosevelt went in, taking the lead, and at times moving on hands 
and knees, with his rifle stuck out in front of him. Selous insisted 
on following close behind Col. Roosevelt, Kermit bringing up the 
rear. 

Col. Roosevelt reached a fringe of grass at an open spot, and 
instantly brought his rifle to his shoulder. Selous rose until he was 
almost standing upright, and saw that the former President was 
aiming at the leader in a herd of elephants. 

His whispered command came just in time to keep Col. Roose- 
velt from firing at a range of about 20 feet. Selous insisted upon a 
retreat, and warned Col. Roosevelt that to fire on the herd would 
be to invite death in a charge. 

Roosevelt reluctantly moved back along the trail, and followed 
Selous in a wide detour. The Englishman had marked down the 
herd. He kept safely to leeward, and finally directed Roosevelt and 
Kermit to climb a tree. All three men went into the branches, and 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT A REMARKABLE HUNTER 243 

were able to make out the backs of the elephants through the tower- 
ing reeds. Roosevelt's elephant gun, firing explosive shells, was in 
the camp. Selous advised him in aiming and he sent half a dozen 
bullets into the "tusker." 

The elephant charged the fire, and went down on its knees close 
to the tree. Then at a distance of about forty feet Roosevelt struck 
the heart, and it went over dead. The rest of the herd tore wildly 
through the thicket in retreat. Kermit trying several shots, but 
without effect. The baby elephant was captured an hour afterward 
by the natives in Roosevelt's caravan. 

MOST INVISIBLE OF FOREST CREATURES. 

The African elephant is spread over a very wide range of 
country, extending from Senegal and Abyssinia to the borders of 
the Cape Colony. Several conditions are required for its existence, 
such as water, dense forests, and the absence of human habitations. 

Although it is very abundant in the locality which it inhabits, 
it is not often seen by casual travelers, owing to its great vigilance 
and its wonderful power of moving through the tangled forests 
without noise and without causing any perceptible agitation of the 
foliage. 

In spite of its enormous dimensions, it is one of the most invis- 
ible of forest creatures, and a herd of elephants, of eight or nine 
feet in height, may stand within a few feet of a hunter without being 
detected by him, even though he is aware of their presence. At a 
certain season of the year these animals are seized with a ferocity 
which renders them intractable, and formidable. 

Camp was broken the following day and Col. Roosevelt and his 
party began their march of fifty miles northeast to the Ju Ja ranch 
of William McMillan, a nephew of former United States Senator 
McMillan, of Michigan. The Roosevelt party was the guests of 
Mr. McMillan, hunting daily in the vicinity of the ranch. 

Years ago Mr. McMillan went to British East Africa in search 
of big game and was so well pleased with the country that he 
acquired an immense reservation for his private use. He has also 



244 COLONEL ROOSEVELT A REMARKABLE HUNTER. 

led exploring expeditions that accomplished work of considerable 
importance. 

Mr. and Mrs. McMillan have a wide reputation for generous 
hospitality. She has shared life in Africa with her husband and 
delights in the experience. 

The McMillan farm gets its name from the Ju and Ja rivers, 
between which it lies. It covers 20,000 acres of land, and is about 
thirty-five miles from Nairobi, one of the largest towns of the 
plateau which is included in the British East Africa. It is fenced 
in on three sides by wire netting, while on the fourth the river Athi 
forms a sufficient protection to its boundaries. 

Theodore Roosevelt and his son Kermit had good hunting luck 
on the ranch. Their bag included a waterbuck, an impalla and other 
varieties of antelope. All the skins were saved entire, and the expe- 
dition had now a total of sixty specimens representing twenty differ 
ent species. 

KERMIT KILLS A LEOPARD AT SIX PACES. 

Kermit Roosevelt, while on a trip, despatched a leopard at a 
distance of six paces. The animal already had mauled a beater and 
was charging Kermit when he fired the fatal shot. 

The impalla, or, as more commonly called, palla, is a species of 
South African antelope also known as a rodebok. It is the principal 
food for lions and leopards, and being of a suspicious nature, it is 
not only hard to shoot, but is likely to alarm other game by its shrill 
whistle when discovered. Only the male* impalla has horns. 

At the ranch the Roosevelt party had heard stories of a fierce 
black maned lion that had been prowling around the ranch for 
several weeks, and had killed a score or more of zebras. Col. Roose- 
velt was particularly anxious to get a shot at this lion, as it was of 
a species not included in the lions that he has already killed. 

The Colonel spent two days in a futile chase of a black maned 
lion in the Mau hill country, but it was no such animal as the party 
desired. The entire party was in high spirits and confident of a 
record breaking hunt later on. 

Roosevelt started early one morning on the most hazardous 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT A REMARKABLE HUNTER 245 

hunt of his trip. He and Kermit and their party left the ranch to bag 
another hippopotamus. On the way to the lair of the "hippo" Col. 
Roosevelt and Kermit shot two bull buffaloes and a python. One, 
the biggest of the two, was brought down by Col. Roosevelt alone, 
while the other was bagged by Col. Roosevelt and Kermit together. 

The python killed by Col. Roosevelt the preceding day was the 
largest taken in British East Africa in many years. The former 
President and F. C. Selous, his guide, stumbled across the python 
at- the edge of a swamp, where it was quietly making a meal of an 
antelope, horns and all. 

Roosevelt was more excited over the killing of the serpent, 
measuring twenty-three feet, than over his first lion, although there 
was slight danger to himself. The bullet that killed, however, was 
one back from the head, which cut a vertebra. Roo*?velt assisted 
Selous and a band of natives in skinning the python on the spot. 

THE ROOSEVELT PARTY AT NAIROBI. 

All the members of the Roosevelt party came into Nairobi at 
4 o'clock in the afternoon from the Heatley ranch. They were in 
splendid health. In the last hunting Col. Roosevelt bagged another 
buffalo, and a bull wildebeest fell before the rifle of his son Kermit. 

The naturalists of the expedition had collected two pythons 
and four hundred odd birds and animals. They were especially 
delighted with some unexpected specimens. 

The Spanish- American War, in which Col. Theodore Roosevelt 
played a stellar role, was vividly recalled to him by the display of 
a flag captured by an American at the naval battle of Santiago. 
The owner had since settled in British East Africa, and had added 
his prized relic to the wealth of decorations that had been put out in 
honor of Col. Roosevelt's return. 

The reception to Col. Roosevelt in the evening was the heartiest 
ever if not the most elaborate that he had encountered since leaving 
New York. The whole town was decorated with flags and bunting, 
the display being many times more elaborate than that which greeted 
him upon his first coming to the town. 

During Col. Roosevelt's stay in Nairobi a number of affairs 



246 COLONEL ROOSEVELT A REMARKABLE HUNTER. 

had been planned in his honor, but which was abandoned, owing to 
his expressed desire to spend the time as quietly as possible in order 
to do a little writing. 

The special train bearing Ex-President Roosevelt and party 
arrived at Kijabe in the afternoon. All the porters of the expedi- 
tion, who had preceded Col. Roosevelt to this point, were lined up 
on the station platform and cheered Col. Roosevelt when the train 
pulled in. The journey of forty-four miles occupied four days. 

ROOSEVELT RODE ON A LOCOMOTIVE COWCATCHER. 

Col. Roosevelt rode half the distance on the locomotive cow- 
catcher with Major Mearns. They perched themselves on the 
engine's front at Kikuyu and stayed there until the train reached 
Escarpment, a distance of twenty-two miles. A hyena that got 
on the track was nearly, run down. 

The scenery along the road delighted Col. Roosevelt, especially 
the Rift Valley. The country between Nairobi and Kijabe is for 
the most part thickly wooded and high. 

The highest point of the Kikuyu escarpment is 7,830 feet. 
From this point there is a magnificent view down 2,000 feet into 
the great Rift Valley. Elephants are plentiful in these forests, bur 
are fairly safe from the hunter, as the thickness of the growth 
renders pursuit very difficult. 

The American missionaries, whose field and work the Ex- 
President has come to look over, were at the station, too. They 
invited him to dinner, but the invitation was declined. 

The party slept in tents pitched near the railway. The follow- 
ing day Col. Roosevelt visited the mission at Kijabe, an American 
organization called the African Inland Mission. It is independent 
and self-controlling in the field, although represented by home coun- 
cils in Philadelphia and London. The headquarters are at Kijabe, 
where schools are conducted for missionaries' children and for the 
industrial training of natives. 

Col. Roosevelt spent some time shooting monkeys, particularly 
the colobus. Edmund Heller bagged three of the colobus species 
and a green-faced monkey, and Kermit Roosevelt killed two large 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT A REMARKABLE HUNTER. 247 

specimens of the former. Major Mearns occupied his time in shoot- 
ing birds. 

While at the mission Ex-President Roosevelt made a thorough 
inspection of the institution, and afterward had luncheon with forty 
of the missionaries and their wives and settlers in the country. The 
Rev. Mr. Hurlburt, in a speech, welcomed the American. 

In replying, Col. Roosevelt said: "I have a peculiar feeling 
for the settlers working in this new country, as they remind me of 
my own people working in the western States, where they know ni 
difference between easterner, westerner, northerner, or southerner 
and pay no heed to creed or birthplace." 

Col. Roosevelt remained over night at the mission and started 
for the Sotik district the following day. 



CHAPTER XIX 

Roosevelt Hunts on Lake Naivasha — Adds a Buee Hippopota- 
mus to His Coeeection — Ammunition Used by Coeonel 
Rooseveet in Africa — Exciting Combat with Hippo- 
potamus. 9 

COLONEL ROOSEVELT inaugurated a novelty in big game 
hunting when in pursuit of elephant and rhinoceros in Africa, 
armed with an American repeating rifle of far lighter bore than the 
weapons with which British sportsmen pursue the same animals. 
Although the rhino is considered about as dangerous game as can 
be found on the Dark Continent, due to his habit of blindly charging 
at top speed any object he deems hostile, the former President used 
a rifle of only .405 caliber in the chase. 

This rifle is better known by the American term of " forty " 
caliber, and it would have been considered little short of suicide 
fifteen years ago to attempt the hunting of such big game with such 
a caliber. Improvements in high pressure, smokeless powder and 
the development of the steel jacketed bullet have increased the 
efficiency of the arm many times since then, however. With the steel 
bullet he used the arm when encountering the African buffalo, which 
is said to be a far more dangerous customer than his American 
namesake used to be. 

This same gun with soft-pointed bullets was used on such game 
as lions. It has terrific " smashing " power, as it has tremendous 
velocity, and the bullet spreads or mushrooms on impact, thus tear- 
ing a hole through soft tissue and the lighter bones through which 
the hand could be thrust. To penetrate the tough hide of a rhino, 
however, the steel bullet is used. 

For lighter game, such as the African species of deer, and for 
long-range shooting the Colonel carried two .303 caliber repeaters, 
popularly known as " thirties." 

For feathered game he used two twelve-gauge repeating shot- 

248 



EFFICIENT PREPARATION IN AMMUNITION AND ARMS 249 

guns and two twenty-two caliber automatic rifles for small game 
and for amusement around camp. His shotgun ammunition was 
specially loaded for him and was in brass shells. The wads had 
been carefully waterproofed, and instead of the shell being merely 
crimped over the wad at the end, it had been cut into small flanges 
and bent over. The wad was covered with wax. This was to pre- 
vent swelling in the moist climate, which might affect paper shells. 
Colonel Roosevelt accepted an invitation to camp on the grounds 
of the Attenborough brothers on Lake Naivasha. The elder of the 
brothers is Captain Frederick, a retired British naval officer. The 
younger is H. T. Attenborough, who for twenty years was a resi- 
dent of San Francisco. The two brothers, who are rich men, have 
built a splendid European estate and home in the African mountains 
where they live like feudal lords of old. Their manor house is in 
the low mountains which fringe the southern shores of Lake Nai- 
vasha, while their estate runs down to the shores of the lake. 

ROOSEVELT SHOOTS A HIPPOPOTAMUS. 

The Attenboroughs live in a veritable Arabian Nights atmos- 
phere. They have built a lake of their own, in which they have 
thirty of the finest specimen of hippopotami in Africa, and it is a 
rare sight to sit on the banks of this artificial sea and watch the 
great beasts at play. 

As Colonel Roosevelt was lacking a bull hippopotamus for his 
bag, the brothers insisted that he shoot one from their lake, the skin 
being added to the collection being shipped back to the Smithsonian 
Institute in Washington. 

The hippopotamus is, as the import of its name, " river horse," 
implies, most aquatic in its habits. It generally prefers fresh water, 
but it is not at all averse to the sea, and will sometimes prefer salt 
water to fresh. It is an admirable swimmer and diver, and is able 
to remain below the surface for a considerable length of time. 

In common with the elephant, it possesses the power of sinking 
at will, which is the more extraordinary when the huge size of the 
animal is taken into consideration. Perhaps it may be enabled to 
contract itself by an exertion of the muscles whenever it desires to 



250 EFFICIENT PREPARATION IN AMMUNITION AND ARMS. 

sink, and to return to its former dimensions when it wishes to return 
to the surface. It mostly affects the stillest reaches of the river, as 
it is less exposed to the current, and not so liable to be swept down 
the stream while asleep. 

Tlie young hippopotamus is not able to bear submersion so long 
as its parent, and is therefore carefully brought to the surface at 
short intervals for the purpose of breathing. During the first few 
months of the little animal's life, it takes its stand on its mother's 
neck, and is borne by her above or through the water as experience 
may dictate or necessity require. 

THE HIPPOPOTAMUS FIERCE FIGHTERS WHEN AROUSED. 

On shore the hippopotamus trots heavily, but with considerable 
rapidity, and when two of them meet on solid ground they frequently 
fight ferociously, rearing up on their hind feet, and biting one an- 
other with great fury, so that according to African travelers, it is 
rare to find a hippopotamus which has not some of its teeth broken, 
or the scars of wounds upon his body. When not irritated they 
appear to be quiet and inoffensive; but a very trifling irritation is 
sufficient to rouse their anger, when they attack the offender most 
furiously with their teeth. 

A hippopotamus which had been touched accidentally by a boat 
turned upon it and tore out several of the planks, so that it was 
with difficulty the crew got to shore. A hippopotamus has also been 
known to kill some cattle, which were tied up near his haunts, with- 
out the slightest provocation. 

Mr. Cuninghame, who was in Africa with Colonel Roosevelt, 
gives the following account of the habits of the hippopotamus: 
" This animal abounds in the Limpopo, dividing the empire with its 
amphibious neighbor, the crocodile. Throughout the night the un- 
wieldy monsters might be heard snorting and blowing during their 
acquatic gambols, and we not unf requently detected them in the act 
of sallying from their reed-grown coverts, to graze by the serene 
light of the moon; never, however, venturing to any distance from 
the river, the stronghold to which they betake themselves on the 
smallest alarm. 



EFFICIENT PREPARATION IN AMMUNITION AND ARMS. 251 

" Occasionally during the day, they were to be seen basking 
on the shore, amid ooze and mud ; but shots were most constantly to 
be had at their uncouth heads, when protruded from the water to 
draw breath ; and if killed, the body rose to the surface. Vulnerable 
only behind the ear, however, or the eye, which is placed in a prom- 
inence, so as to resemble the garret window of a Dutch house, they 
require the perfection of rifle practice, and after a few shots become 
exceedingly shy, exhibiting the snout only, and as instantly with- 
drawing it. 

" The hide is" upward of an inch and a half in thickness, and 
being scarcely flexible, may be dragged from the ribs like planks 
from the ship's side." 

' The track of the hippopotamus may be distinguished from any 
other animal by a line of unbroken herbage which is left behind the 
marks of the feet of each side, as the width of the space between 
the right and left legs causes the animal to place its feet so consider- 
ably apart as to make a distinct double track. 

THE HIPPOPOTAMUS DISAPPEARING FAST. 

" It may be remarked that the hippopotamus, as well as the ele- 
phant and rhinoceros, is fast disappearing in all the countries where 
it exists, before the incessant and destructive war made upon it by 
firearms. It could resist, and for ages did resist, the rude and 
ineffective weapons of savages and barbarians, living and multiply- 
ing in spite of them ; but the species must soon yield to the destructive 
propensity and power of civilized men.'' 

" After seeing the animal plunging about in his bath, diving 
with ease, and traversing the bottom of the tank as if it were dry 
land, one can the better appreciate the difficulties attending a struggle 
which I recently witnessed : 

" There were four of them, three cows and an old bull. They 
stood in the middle of the river, and, although alarmed, did not 
appear aware of the extent of the impending danger. 

" I took the sea-cow next me, and with my first ball I gave her 
a mortal wound, knocking loose a great plate on the top of her skull. 
She at once commenced plunging round and round, and occasionally 



252 EFFICIENT PREPARATION IN AMMUNITION AND ARMS. 

remained still, sitting for a few moments on the same spot. On 
hearing the report of my rifle, two of the others took up stream, 
and the fourth dashed down the river. They rolled along like oxen, 
at a smart pace, as long as the water was shallow. 

" I was now in a state of great anxiety about my wounded sea- 
cow, for I feared she would get down into deep water, and be lost, 
like the last one. Her struggles were still bearing her down stream, 
and the water was becoming deeper. To settle the matter, 1 
accordingly fired another shot from the bank, which, entering the 
roof of her skull, passed out through her eye. She then kept con- 
tinually splashing round and round in a circle in the middle of the 
river. 

" I had great fears of the crocodiles, and I did not know that 
the sea-cow might not attack me; my anxiety to secure her, how- 
ever, overcame all hesitation. So divesting myself of my leathers, 
and armed with a sharp knife, I dashed into the river, which at first 
took me up to my arm-pits, but in the middle was shallower. 

SPLASHED FURIOUSLY. 

" As I approached Behemoth, her eye looked very wicked at 
me, but she was stunned, and did not know what she was doing; 
so running in upon her, and seizing her short tail, I attempted to 
incline her course to land. It was extraordinary what enormous 
strength she still had in the water. I could not guide her in the 
least, and she continued to splash, and plunge, and blow, and make 
her circular course, carrying me along with her as if I was a fly on 
her tail. 

" Finding her tail gave me but a poor hold, as the only means 
of securing my prey, I took out my knife, and cutting two deep 
parallel incisions through the skin on her rump, and lifting this skin 
from the flesh, so that I could get in my two hands, I made use of 
this as a handle, and after some desperate hard work, sometimes 
pushing, sometimes pulling, the sea-cow continuing her circular 
course all the time, and I holding on her rump like grim death, 
'eventually I succeeded in bringing this gigantic and most powerful 
animal to the bank. 



EFFICIENT PREPARATION IN AMMUNITION AND ARMS. 



253 



" Here a native quickly brought me a stout buffalo-rein from 
my horse's neck, which I passed through the opening in the thick 
skin, and moored Behemoth to a tree. I then took my rifle, and 
sent a shot through her head, and she was numbered with the dead." 

In explanation of one part of this description, the difficulty 




DRIVING CROCODILES INTO THE WATER. 

experienced by the hunter in holding by her tail will be easily 
understood by those who have examined the member in ques- 
tion. The tail of the hippopotamus is a flattened, naked affair, 
about two feet long, as thick as a man's wrist, and slightly fringed 
at the extremity with a few long bristles. If we imagine this tail 
flung about in the death-agony of a full-grown hippopotamus, it will 



254 EFFICIENT PREPARATION IN AMMUNITION AND ARMS. 

not be difficult to conceive the almost impossibility of holding on by 
the hands, especially in the water, which is the natural element of 
the brute. 

Another member of the Roosevelt party relates a thrilling 
experience that befell some of his companions on one of their hunt- 
ing trips. A hippopotamus happened to rise under their boat, and 
struck her back against its keel. Irritated by the unexpected resist- 
ance, she dashed at the boat with open jaws, seized the side between 
her teeth, and tore out seven planks. She then sank for a few sec- 
onds, but immediately resumed the attack, and if one of the party 
had not fired a musket in her face, would probably have worked 
still more harm. 

NARROW ESCAPE FROM DROWNING. 

As it was, too much mischief had been already done, for the 
loss of so much planking had caused the boat to fill rapidly, and it 
was only by severe exertion that the party succeeeded in getting the 
boat to shore before it sank. The boat was providentially not more 
than an oar's length from the bank when the attack took place ; but 
had it been in the centre of the river, few, if any of the occupants, 
would have escaped to tell the tale. 

The shock from beneath was so violent, that the steersman was 
thrown completely out of the boat into the water, but was seized 
and drawn in again before the hippopotamus could get at him. 

The extreme whiteness of the ivory obtained from the hippo- 
potamus' teeth renders it peculiarly valuable for the delicate scales 
of various philosophical instruments, and its natural curve adapts 
it admirably for the verniers of ship sextants. The weight of a 
large tooth is from five to eight pounds, and the value of the ivory 
is from four to five dollars a pound. 

With these apparently combined teeth the hippopotamus can 
cut the grass as neatly as if it were mown with a scythe, and is able 
to sever, as if with shears, a tolerably stout and thick stem. 

Possessed of an enormous appetite, having a stomach that is 
capable of containing five or six bushels of nutriment, and furnished 
with such powerful instruments, the hippopotamus is a terrible 



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■MvKM 



255 



256 EFFICIENT PREPARATION IN AMMUNITION AND ARM/., 

nuisance to the owners of cultivated lands that happen to be near 
the river in which the animal has taken up his abode. 

During the day it is comfortably asleep in its chosen hiding- 
place, but as soon as the shades of night deepen, the hippopotamus 
issues from its den, and treading its way into the cultivated lands, 
makes sad devastation among the growing crops. 

Were the mischief confined to the amount which is eaten by 
the voracious brute, it would be bad enough, but the worst of the 
matter is, that the hippopotamus damages more than it eats by the 
clumsy manner of its progress. The body is so large and heavy, 
and the legs are so short, that the animal is forced to make a double 
track as he walks, and in the grass-grown plain can be readily 
traced by the peculiar character of the track. 

HIPPOPOTAMANI DESTROY MORE THAN THEY EAT. 

It may therefore be easily imagined that when a number of 
these hungry, awkward, waddling, splay-footed beasts come blunder- 
ing among the standing crops, trampling and devouring indiscrim- 
inately, they will do no slight damage before they think fit to 
retire. 

The aggrieved cultivators endeavor to protect their grounds 
and at the same time to make the depredators pay for the damage 
which they have done, by digging a number of pitfalls across the 
hippopotamus paths, and furnishing each pit with a sharp stake in 
the centre. 

When an animal falls into such a trap, the rejoicings are great, 
for not only is the ivory of great commercial value, but the flesh is 
very good eating, and the hide is useful for the manufacture of 
whips and other instruments. The fat of the hippopotamus, called 
by the colonists " Zee-Koe speck " or sea-cow bacon, is held in very 
high estimation, as is the tongue and the jelly which is extracted 
from the feet. 

Tue hide is so thick that it must be dragged from the creature's 
body in slips, like so many planks, and is an inch and a half in thick- 
ness on the back, and three-quarters of an inch on the other portions 
of the body. Yet, in spite of its enormous thickness and its tough 



EFFICIENT PREPARATION IN AMMUNITION AND ARMS 257 

quality, it is quite pliable when seen on the living beast, and accom- 
modates itself easily to all his movements. 

There is also the " down- fall," a trap which consists of a log of 
wood, weighted heavily at one end, to which extremity is loosely 
fixed a spearhead, well treated with poison. This terrible log is 
suspended over some hippopotamus path, and is kept in its place by 
a slight cord which crosses the path and is connected with a catch 
or trigger. As soon as the animal presses the cord, the catch is 
liberated, and down comes the armed log, striking the poisoned spear 
deep into the poor beast's back, and speedily killing it by the poison, 
if not from the immediate effects of the wound. 

The most exciting manner of hunting the hippopotamus is by 
fairly chasing and harpooning it, as if it were a whale or a walrus. 

GETTING READY WITH THE HARPOON. 

The harpoon is a very ingenious instrument, being composed 
of two portions, a shaft measuring three or four inches in thickness 
and ten or twelve feet in length, and a barbed iron point, which fits 
loosely into a socket in the head of the shaft, and is connected with 
it by means of a rope composed of a number of separate strands. 

This peculiar rope is employed to prevent the animal from 
severing it, which he would soon manage were it to be composed of 
a single strand. To the other end of the shaft a strong line is fast- 
ened, and to the other end of the line a float or buoy is attached. 
As this composite harpoon is very weighty it is not thrown at? the 
animal, but is urged by the force of the harpooner's arm. The man- 
ner of employing it shall be told in the following words of one of 
the most skillful hunters of recent times : 

" As soon as the position of the hippopotamus is ascertained, 
one or more of the most skillful and intrepid of the hunters stand 
prepared with the harpoons; whilst the rest make ready to launch 
the canoes, should the attack prove successful. The bustle and noise 
caused by these preparations gradually subside. Conversation is 
carried on in a whisper, and every one is on the alert. 

"The snorting and plunging become every moment more 
distinct ; but a bend in the stream still hides the animals from view. 

17— T.R. 




SCENES AMONGST THE SOMALIS FROM WHOM ROOSEVELT'S PORTERS WERE DRAWN, 






EFFICIENT PREPARATION IN AMMUNITION AND ARMS. 259 

The angle being passed, several dark objects are seen floating list- 
lessly on the water, looking more like the crest of sunken rocks than 
living creatures. 

" Ever and anon, one or other of the shapeless masses is sub- 
merged, but soon again makes its appearance on the surface. On, 
on, glides the raft with its sable crew, who are now worked up to 
the highest state of excitement. 

" At last, the raft is in the midst of the herd, who appear quite 
unconscious of danger. Presently one of the animals is in immediate 
contact with the raft. Now is the critical moment. The foremost 
harpooner raises himself to his full height, to give the greater force 
to the blow, and the next instant the fatal iron descends with un- 
erring accuracy in the body of the hippopotamus. 

ALL EFFORTS TO ESCAPE ARE UNAVAILING. 

" The wounded animal plunges violently, and dives to the bot- 
tom; but all his efforts to escape are unavailing. The line or the 
shaft of the harpoon may break; but the cruel barb once inbedded 
in the flesh, the weapon (owing to the toughness and thickness of 
the beast's hide) cannot be withdrawn. 

" As soon as the hippopotamus is struck, one or more of the 
men launch a canoe from off the raft, and hasten to the shore with 
the harpoon-line, and take a round turn with it about a tree, or 
bunch of reeds, so that the animal may either be ' brought up ' at 
once, or, should there be too great a strain on the line, ' played ' 
(to liken small things to great) in the same manner as the salmon 
by the fisherman. But if time should not admit of the line being 
passed round a tree, or the like, both line and ' buoy ' are thrown 
into the water, and the animal goes wherever he chooses. 

" The rest of the canoes are now all launched from off the raft, 
and chase is given to the poor brute, who, so soon as he comes to 
the surface to breathe, is saluted with a shower of light javelins. 
Again he descends, his track deeply crimsoned with gore. Pres- 
ently — and perhaps at some little distance — he once more appears 
on the surface, when, as before, missiles of all kinds are hurled at 
his devoted head. 



S6Q EFFICIENT PREPARATION IN AMMUNITION AND ARMS. 

" When thus beset, the infuriated beast not unfrequently turns 
upon his assailants, and either with his formidable tusks, or with 
a blow from his enormous head, staves in or capsizes the canoes. 
At times, indeed, not satisfied with wreaking his vengeance on the 
craft, he will attack one or other of the natives, and with a single 
grasp of his horrid jaws either terribly mutilates the poor fellow, or, 
it may be, cuts his body fairly in two. 

" The chase often lasts a considerable time. So long as the 
line and the harpoon hold, the animal cannot escape, because the 
4 buoy ' always marks his whereabouts. At length, from loss of 
blood or exhaustion, Behemoth succumbs to his pursuers and is then 
dragged ashore." 

The hippopotamus feeds entirely upon vegetable substances, 
cropping the herbage and bushes on the banks of the rivers, and 
occasionally visiting the cultivated grounds during the night. It 
passes most of its time in the water, where it swims and dives with 
great ease, and is said to walk at the bottom. When the head of 
the animal is below the water it rises frequently to blow it out from 
its nostrils, making it ascend in two jets. 

The government officials on the morning of July 9th closed the 
public road which runs from Nairobi to Fort Hall, the capital of 
Kenia, owing to the invasion of that district by man-eating lions. 
Several natives within a few days had been killed by these animals. 

The Fort Hall road, which was closed by the authorities, is 
about sixty miles long and situated to the east of the Uganda Rail- 
road. Former President Roosevelt at that time was on a shooting 
trip in the Sotik district, which is about fifty miles from Naivasha 
on the west side of the railroad. 



CHAPTER XX 

A SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 

Roosevelt Hunting in the Interest oe Science — Strange 
Beasts eor Smithsonian Institute — Back to Nairobi — 
Concludes a Ten Days Tour on the South Shore — Inter- 
ested in Church Work — Talks to Africanders— Laying 
Corner-stone oe New Mission at Kijabe — Roosevelt's 
Trophies arrive at Washington — Resumes Hunting — 
Brings Down a Big Bull Elephant — Saved erom Death 
by Charging Elephant. 

/^OLONEL ROOSEVELT is not only a sportsman but a 
^- > naturalist, and when he determined on taking a hunting trip 
to Africa, he decided that this should not be merely for sport, but 
that it should be for the benefit of science. He was accordingly 
accompanied by three gentlemen who are good naturalists, good 
collectors, and good company as well, and these went with the 
express purpose of securing as many specimens as possible for the 
Smithsonian Institution. The expenses of these three were met 
by friends of the Institution, and the shooting of the monkeys that 
had caused so much ink to be shed in the columns of the daily papers 
was in accord with the programme thus laid down at the outset, 
and the animals were killed for specimens. The assertion that they 
were shot for sport is a pure invention of some newspaper writer. 

If it is proper to kill animals to be used as ornaments, it is 
certainly justifiable to kill them for museum specimens, and these 
very monkeys have been slaughtered almost to the verge of exter- 
mination in order to furnish collars and muffs for wearing apparel. 

Ex-President Roosevelt, accompanied by Major Mearns, came 
into Naivasha on Thursday, July 22, riding round the east side of 
the lake, while J. Alden Loring, the naturalist, came across in 
Captain Attenborough's launch. Profesor Edmund Heller re- 

25-T.R. 261 



262 A SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 

mained at the Attenborough farm to look after the hippopotamus 
trophies. 

Kermit Roosevelt had come into the township the day before, 
and the correspondent went out to meet Colonel Roosevelt at lunch 
at the Government experimental farm on the Morendat River, 
where he was entertained by an admiring friend. After the meal 
the party rode over the farm inspecting the flocks of sheep and the 
pedigreed stock. The results of crossing the Merino pure-bred 
rams with the native ewes was marvelous. The amount of wool 
on the cross-breds was most surprising, for the native ewes have 
none. Colonel Roosevelt was very much interested in the work. 

THE RETURN TO NAIVASHA. 

Colonel Roosevelt and Kermit returned later to Naivasha and 
found that R. J. Cunninghame, general manager of the expedition, 
with all the porters and the baggage had only just arrived. The 
men were busy pitching the tents near the water's edge. 

Early next morning the correspondent went down to the camp 
and had breakfast with Colonel Roosevelt and Kermit and then 
started off in a small rowboat for pelicans. 

They had not gone far when the Colonel brought down a couple 
of Egyptian geese with a very pretty shot. The boat was then 
turned for the usual hunting grounds of the pelicans and brought, 
with the least possible noise, to within 150 feet of two fine speci- 
mens. Colonel Roosevelt took careful aim and killed a splendid 
bird with a single shot from his rifle. The specimen delighted the 
Colonel beyond measure. Colonel Roosevelt and Kermit after- 
wards indulged in shooting gulls, which have long red beaks and 
legs and feathers of beautiful slate blue. In all they bagged five 
fine specimens and also secured a complete nest with three eggs. 

Meanwhile Major Mearns and J. Alden Loring had been busy 
and had secured some fine specimens of the bird inhabitants of the 
lake. 

The tiny town of Naivasha, which boasts a six-roomed hotel, a 
white store, four Indian stores, a postofnce, a railway station and 
perhaps twenty houses scattered in groups of four or five, with 



A SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 263 

long stretches of stone-studded velt between, was the nearest point 
of civilization to Colonel Roosevelt on his hunting expedition to 
the north of Mombasa. 

Naivasha used to be a great cattle center, because it was the 
headquarters of the Masai tribe, and when the British took posses- 
sion they profited by this circumstance to make Naivasha the chief 
point of a district. But now business has moved down to Nairobi 
and officialdom moved up to Nakura, on the lake of the same name, 
between Naivasha and Lake Victoria Nyanza, and Naivasha has 
left to it only its delightful climate, since its altitude of 6000 feet 
makes it tolerable even at midday, and at night a strong, cool breeze 
always springs up. 

Best of all is its beautiful lake, also called Naivasha, with the 
volcano Longanot to one side and around it broad plains leading to 
tall distant mountains hemming it in on every side like the rim of a 
gigantic basin. 

The lake is believed to be the crater of an old volcano, and 
scientists say that once it must have reached the distant mountains 
which shaped its bed, for many rocks now ten miles away from the 
waters of the lake are marked by the wear of mighty waters, 

LAKE NAIVASHA AN OLD VOLCANIC CRATER. 

Now it is very different, and while Lake Naivasha is eight 
miles across, no soundings have proved it to be more than thirty 
feet deep, although it is probable that at different points there are 
rifts in the bottom of the old crater forming its bed which give it 
considerable depth. The shores, principally on the Naivasha side, 
are skirted with papyrus swamp and water lilies, the water being 
so shallow and the vegetation so thick that even where the shore 
is more or less free from papyrus one must wade out to a rowboat 
which cannot quite come in, and then go in the rowboat to a sailboat 
if one intends to go sailing. 

Lake Naivasha boasts two or three little sailing boats, belong- 
ing to settlers along its banks, but its principal source of pride is a 
steam launch belonging to Commander Attenborough. 

Four miles from Naivasha is the great Masai village, where 



2CA A SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST 

400 members of that famous warrior tribe live in forty little mud 
huts. The huts are built in a circle round a kraal into which the 
cattle are brought at night. There are entrances from without at 
every ten or twelve huts, the rest presenting to the outside world a 
solid wall of mud and tree branch. The huts are eight feet long 
by five or six feet in breadth, and some four or five feet in height, 
and in these ten men, women and children will sleep quite happily, 
piled one upon another. 

The Masai are very like American Indians, scorning all kinds 
of work and requiring their wives to do it all. You will see long 
processions of them, the men bearing spears and shields and the 
women struggling after with the burdens of wood or blankets or 
whatever may be needed on the trek. About the only thing which 
a Masai will deign to carry for a white man is his gun, and this is a 
source of joy for him. 

THE WOMEN ARE THE BURDEN -BEARERS. 

As for the women, they condemn themselves to burden-bearing 
all their lives. As soon as they are full grown steel and copper 
bands are placed around their legs from ankle to knee, and again 
around the arms from wrist to elbow and sometimes from elbow to 
shoulder also, forming solid coils of steel and copper, each section 
of which weighs seven or eight pounds. Their arms grow puffy 
and distorted over the edges, and their legs are so heavy that the 
women acquire in youth a shambling gait which they can never 
correct, although later in life they remove the leg ornaments and 
keep only those on the arms. 

When the woman reaches maturity she adds a huge spring-like 
collar of steel to her equipment, the diameter being a foot or more. 
Under this are other steel or copper collars, and in her ears are 
string after string of beads. Taken all in all, her steel and bead 
ornaments average a weight of some 50 or 60 pounds. This metal 
tubing almost suffices to clothe them, but they wear also a leather 
apron, stitched on with fiber, which they can never remove, and in 
which they live and sleep from youth to old age. 

A short time ago Lenana, the King of the Masai, came with 



A SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 205 

his court into Nairobi to lodge a complaint against the Kikuyus for 
stealing some of his sheep. A few years later he would have sailed 
in with his fierce but now worthless warriors and wiped the Kikuyus 
out. It's different these days. Now they let the British Govern- 
ment settle their difficulties for them. Lenana is a fine old savage, 
with something mongolian about his cast of features. His royal 
robe is a gorgeous red blanket, and his insignia are a marquise ring 
of fine hammered steel which covers his middle finger from base 
to tip, and an earring in his right ear which causes his lobe to drop 
down to the shoulder. 

Early on the morning of July 24 Colonel Roosevelt and Kermit 
proceeded by the ordinary passenger train to Nairobi, traveling in 
the traffic manager's carriage or on the cowcatcher. Mr. Cun- 
ninghame followed with the specimens bagged on the Sotik trip in 
a special train. Major Mearns and Mr. Eoring remained at 
Naivasha collecting birds. 

On arrival at Nairobi the Colonel was met by William N. 
McMillan and F. C. Selous, who was on his way home. The 
Colonel remained in animated conversation with Mr. Selous until 
his departure, and then drove to Mr. McMillan's house, where he 
remained as a guest during his stay in Nairobi. 

ANNOUNCEMENT OF SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE. 

The Smithsonian Institution on July 23 announced that through 
the Roosevelt expedition a collection of rare animals will be added 
to those now in the National Zoological Park near Washington. 
The announcement was in part as follows : 

" In a letter received at the institution from Lieutenant-Colonel 
Edgar A. Mearns, of the expedition, it is stated that the collection 
includes eleven large mammals and three large birds, all in fine con- 
dition and for the most part well broken to captivity, as follows: 
A male and female lion, two years old ; a male and two female lions, 
twelve months old; a female leopard, a pet of Airs. McMillan; two 
cheetahs; a warthog, two years old; one Thompson's and one 
Grant's gazelle, well grown; a large eagle of unusual species, a 
small vulture and a large buteo. Specimens of none of these, except 
the lions and leopard, are at present contained in the park." 



266 A SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 

Having laid aside his gun for a few days, Colonel Roosevelt 
turned to church and philanthropic matters, with all the enthusiasm 
he had displayed in the hunting of African big game. The ex- 
President took a leading part in the installation work of the local 
Masonic lodge on August 2, and Masons from all over that part of 
Africa came to Narobi for the occasion. 

The day before Mr. Roosevelt attended the Scotch Church and 
was the recipient of an impromptu reception after the service. 
Later in the day he made the opening subscription for a projected 
Y. M. C. A. home for Nairobi. The Colonel's adaptability to any 
and every occasion that presents itself had greatly impressed the 
people of British East Africa. 

Before leaving Nairobi the Colonel and his son Kermit were 
the guests at a public banquet. Frederick J. Jackson, Governor of 
British East Africa, was chairman and 175 persons sat at table. 

SOUVENIRS OF HIS VISIT TO NAIROBI. 

Captain Sanderson, the Town Clerk, read an address of wel- 
come to the former President of the United States and afterward 
handed him the address inclosed in a section of elephant tusk 
mounted in silver and with a silver chain. 

The American residents of the protectorate presented Mr. 
Roosevelt with a tobacco box made of the hoof of a rhinoceros, 
silver mounted; the skull of a rhinoceros, also mounted in silver, and 
a buffalo head. Mr. Roosevelt, in reply to the toast proposed by 
Governor Jackson, said: 

" I wish to take this opportunity to thank the people of British 
East Africa for their generous and courteous hospitality. I have 
had a thorough good time. I am immensely interested in the coun- 
try and its possibilities as an abode for white men. Very large 
tracts are fit for a fine population and healthy and prosperous settle- 
ments, and it would be a calamity to neglect them. But the settlers 
must be of the right type. 

" I believe that one of the best feats performed by members of 
the white race in trie last ten years is the building of the Uganda 
Railroad. I am convinced that this country has a great agricultural 



A SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 2(17 

and industrial future, and it is the most attractive playground in 
the world. It most certainly presents excellent openings for capital- 
ists, and ample inducements should be offered them to come here. 
The home maker and actual settler, and not the speculator, should 
be encouraged in making this a white man's country. 

" Remember that righteousness and our real ultimate self- 
interest demand that the blacks be treated justly. I have no 
patience with sentimentalists, and I think that sentimentality does 
more harm to individuals than brutality. Therefore I believe in 
helping the missionary, of whatever creed, who is laboring sincerely 
and disinterestedly with practical good sense. 

" It is natural that I should have a peculiar feeling for the 
settlers. They remind me of the men in our West, with whom I 
worked and in whose aspirations I so deeply sympathize." 

COMPARES EAST AFRICA WITH AMERICAN WEST. 

In conclusion, Mr. Roosevelt drew a comparison of the condi- 
tions as he had found them in East Africa with those that con- 
fronted the pioneers of Western America. 

The Roosevelt party ended their season of inaction in Nairobi 
on August 4 and left for Naivasha, where preparations were made 
for resuming the hunt. A big crowd gathered at the station to bid 
the Colonel farewell, and he was forced to make a short speech just 
before the train pulled in. 

The ex-President and Kermit arrived at Kijabe in the after- 
noon, and without loss of time the former performed the ceremony 
of laying the corner-stone of the new mission church and school for 
white children. In a brief address, Mr. Roosevelt said : 

" It is the duty of the leading race to help those who are back- 
ward to a higher plane of education, and the work of the mission- 
aries in this movement is most important. I am particularly pleased 
with w T hat you are doing by your schools for the children of the set- 
tlers in this country." 

After the corner-stone ceremony Mr. Roosevelt an * his son 
Kermit went by train to Naivasha, where they arrived later in the 
afternoon and at once went into camp. 



268 A SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 

Theodore Roosevelt had received many letters from the United 
States containing" all kinds of requests, with which it was impossible 
for him to comply, and which it was equally impossible for him even 
to answer. He had no private secretary, and excepting* once or 
twice when a personal friend had enabled him to catch up with some 
of his mail by typewriting for him, he had been obliged to leave the 
great bulk of these letters unanswered. 

The petitions were of every conceivable nature, including 
requests for live wild animals for zoological gardens; for skins of 
dead animals; for large snakes; for birds' eggs; for teeth and claws 
of lions and tigers (the writers evidently not knowing that there 
are no tigers in Africa and that it would utterly spoil the value of 
any specimen, whether for scientific or other purposes, to mutilate 
it by taking out the claws and teeth) ; requests for plants, for picture 
post cards, which are naturally not to be found in the African 
wilderness, and for all kinds of other objects, including even 
pickled meat and dried meat of game. 

TROPHIES OF THE HUNTING EXPEDITION. 

Twenty casks and nine cases containing trophies of the Roose- 
velt hunting expedition in Africa arrived in Washington August 19. 
The shipment, which comprised Colonel Roosevelt's first month's 
collection, consisted of eighty-two specimens, as follows: Lions, 7; 
leopard, 1 ; cheetah, 1 ; spotted hyena, 1 ; Cape Hartebeest, 14; white 
bearded wildebeest, 5 ; Neumann steinbuck, 5 ; Kirk dik-dik, 1 ; 
common waterbuck, 3; Chanler reedbuck, 4; Grant gazelle, 9; 
Thomson gazelle, 5; eland, 1; Cape buffalo, 4; giraffe, 3; hippo- 
potamus, 1 ; wart hog, 6 ; Burchell zebra, 7 ; black rhinoceros, 2, and 
impalla, 2. 

The cheetah is similar to a leopard, the wildbeest is the African 
gnu and the hartebeest, steinbuck, dik-dik, impalla and eland are 
varieties of antelope. While no new species, so far as is now 
known, was included in this first Roosevelt shipment, the collection 
will supplement materially the specimens already in the National 
Museum. It is unusual to secure so large a variety of mammals in 
so short a time. 



A SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 2CJ 

Together with this shipment of the Roosevelt collection were 
a large number of specimens of mice, moles and other small animals, 
and also of birds gathered by Lieutenant-Colonel Mearns and J. 
Alden Loring, of the expedition party. 

Colonel Roosevelt on August 21, while hunting in Kenya, one 
of the seven administrative provinces of the British East African 
protectorate, killed a bull elephant. The animal's skin was taken 
care of by Edmund Heller and E. J. Cunninghame. The tusks of 
the elephant weighed 80 pounds each. 

When shooting elephants it is often necessary to creep into the 
herd and shoot the selected bull at a range of fifteen to thirty yards. 
Mr. Roosevelt, accompanied by R. Cunninghame, followed this 
procedure and killed his elephant at the second shot. 

A DANGEROUS SITUATION. 

Suddenly, before Mr. Roosevelt could reload, another elephant 
bull charged him at close range from the herd. Both Mr. Cun- 
ninghame and Mr. Roosevelt got behind trees, and Mr. Cunning- 
hame fired and turned the bull from Mr. Roosevelt just in time to 
save the distinguished hunter's life. 

The Kenya Province is to the south of the River Gwaso Nyiro 
and to the east of the Naivasha Masai preserve. The headquarters 
of the province are at Fort Hall, the public road to which place was 
closed by the government officials because the district was invaded 
by man-eating lions. The country, specially to the north and east, 
has not been surveyed thoroughly, and is imperfectly known. The 
climate is mild and temperate. 

The population of the parts of Kenya Province already known 
is about 600,000, divided among the Kikuyu, the Masai and the 
Dorobos. The Masai are mostly warlike nomads, who long were 
the scourge of their neighbors. They live in districts under chiefs, 
and each chief must be a retired warrior. 

Lidj Jeassue, the Crown Prince of Abyssinia, invited Theodore 
Roosevelt to a great elephant hunt, promising to beat up a white 
elephant for him to kill and otherwise to arrange a splendid shooting 
programme. 



270 A SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 

This news was brought into Berlin by Adolf Mayer, a kins- 
man of King Menelik of Abyssinia, who arrived there with a com- 
mission from the Abyssinian Government to purchase supplies. 

King Menelik sent an invitation to Mr. Roosevelt at Wash- 
ington to be his guest, but Mr. Roosevelt declined, explaining that 
as he had refused the invitations of several European sovereigns, 
he could not make an exception of King Menelik, however much he 
might desire to do so. It was then arranged that the Crown Prince 
should invite Mr. Roosevelt unofficially. Before Mayer left 
Abyssinia a mission had been sent to hand this invitation to Mr. 
Roosevelt wherever it could find him, and King Menelik was hopeful 
that the former President of the United States would accept the 
invitation in its present form. 

AN IMPRESSIVE INVITATION. 

The envoys of the King were empowered to point out to Mr. 
Roosevelt, Mr. Mayer said, " that there is unrivalled elephant hunt- 
ing in Abyssinia. The Crown Prince will send out 5,000 horsemen 
to encircle an immense range of prairie and drive in the elephants. 
Hundreds and possibly thousands of elephants could be thus assem- 
bled, and there would probably be one or two white ones among this 
number. These beasts are not really white, but merely animals of 
great vigor who have lived to be gray haired." 

When it was suggested that the Crown Prince of Abyssinia 
was only fourteen years old, Mr. Mayer replied that Abyssinians 
develop young. Pie declared that the Prince was an expert and 
adventurous huntsman ; that he spoke English, French and German, 
and that he was quite capable personally of showing Mr. Roosevelt 
fine hunting. 

" Many stories have reached the court of King Menelik," Mr. 
Mayer said, in conclusion, " of Mr. Roosevelt's prowess as a horse- 
man, a hunter, a soldier and an administrator. The King is most 
keen to greet him, and he probably would go to the borders of his 
country with a great following to receive Mr. Roosevelt." 

Mr. Mayer is the son of a German engineer who married a 
sister of King Menelik. 



A SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 



271 



Colonel Roosevelt while hunting north of Guaso Nyiro killed 
three more elephants, completing the group intended for the Smith- 










sonian Institution, at Washington. He also killed a bull elephant 
for the American Museum of Natural History, at New York. 



272 A SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 

Other game bagged includes a rhinoceros with excellent horns, a 
buffalo, a giraffe, an eland, a zebra, an ostrich and an oryza. Some 
skins not hitherto collected have been obtained and preserved for 
the Washington Museum. 

Kermit Roosevelt also did some shooting, having killed cvvo 
elephants and an exceptionally large, fine rhinoceros. 

Sixty- four cases, and every one big and bound with iron bands 
and filled with all that remains of lions, giraffes, elephants, hippo- 
potami, monkeys and other beasts which would still be roaming the 
wilds of Africa but for the invasion thereof by former President 
Roosevelt, arrived in Brooklyn, New York, October 12. 

The sixty-four cases were unloaded from the Anchor Line's 
steamship Italia at the pier of the Union Stores. Every case was 
marked : " Smithsonian Institute National Museum, Care of Col- 
lector of Customs, Port of New York. From Smithsonian African 
Expedition, R. E. X." The Italia received the cases at Naples from 
a steamship that brought them from Zanzibar. 

ROOSEVELT PROUD OF HIS ELEPHANTS. 

Colonel Roosevelt and R. J. Cunninghame arrived at Niavasha 
on October 20 from an extended hunt, looking extraordinarily 
brown and feeling well. They were delighted with their expedi- 
tion and Colonel Roosevelt said that both he and Kermit were proud 
of having got their elephants, and especially proud that they had 
each got one when they were unaccompanied by such experienced 
hunters as Cunninghame and Tarlton. 

The skins of the elephants and the skulls and bones were 
brought in by porters. The huge skulls were carried by eight 
porters, with reliefs of eight more every now and then. The loads 
were suspended from long poles. 

The Roosevelt party proceeded to Nairobi. There the station 
was crowded with officials and settlers. Lord Delamere was among 
those to greet the ex-President, and they stood for a few minutes 
discussing his proposed visit to Lord Delamere's ranch at Njoro on 
his return from the Guaso Nguisho. 



A SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 273 

On October 25 the party left again for Londiani, from which 
place the start for the Guaso Nguisho was to be made. On this trip 
the party passed over the " Mau Summit," 8300 feet, the highest 
point on the railway. The following day Edmund Heller, Kermit 
Roosevelt and Leslie A. Tarlton started for Eldama Ravine, and 
were followed shortly afterward by Colonel Roosevelt. The jour- 
ney to their shooting place occupied one week, and they spent three 
weeks there. 

Former President Roosevelt, on October 27th, celebrated his 
fifty-first birthday with a hunt in the African wilds. He received 
the congratulations of his son, Kermit, and other members of his 
party in the morning, and responded with brief expressions of 
thanks. 

Colonel Roosevelt's health was excellent, his face being 
bronzed by the tropical sun and his powerful frame rugged and 
hard from toiling through the jungles and over mountainous passes. 
The hunting ground was in what was known as Eldama Ravine. 

A SHARP CONTRAST. 

Mark the contrast between Colonel Roosevelt's surroundings 
then and a year before ! At that time he was comfortably settled 
in the White House at Washington. He was at his desk early, and 
spent the day hard at work in his office receiving such members of 
his Cabinet as were in town at the regular semi-weekly meetings, 
and discussed with them matters relating to their departments. 

Congratulatory messages poured into the President's office at 
the White House all day. Many foreign rulers took advantage of 
the opportunity, to send messages of warm friendship and good will 
through their diplomatic representatives, who called in person to 
present them to the President. Many others of the White House 
callers were persons who came to extend their congratulations. 

He was in excellent health, and was looking forward to the 
close of his term in office, and his big hunting expedition in Africa 
with the eagerness of a boy. 

" I have had a splendid time in the White House," he told his 
friends. " I have no regrets. I have done some things. I have 

18— T,B. 



27 -i A SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 

lived, and am counting the (lays that must elapse before I go out of 
office. Then there are some months in Africa. I shall hunt big 
game, see a wonderland, live close to nature, and study natural 
history." 

J. Alden Loring and Major Edgar A. Mearns, both of the 
Roosevelt hunting party, returned to Nairobi on November 3, from 
their expedition to Mt. Kenya. 

The climbers ascended the mountain to an estimated height of 
16,000 feet, reaching the highest point which it was possible to 
attain without the aid of Alpenstocks. This was within 700 feet of 
the summit. They collected specimens of more than 2,000 birds and 
mammals and made many photographs of the mountain. 

Mt. Kenya is an extinct volcano. It is 16,700 feet high and 
supports numerous glaciers. It was ascended for the first time by 
MacKinder in 1899. The timber line extends to the 10,300 feet 
level. It is called by the natives " Kimaja-Kegnia, the Mount of 
Whiteness." It is twelve degrees south of the equator. 



CHAPTER XXI 

A LION-SPEARING SAFARI. 

Roosevelt Takes Part in an Exciting Hunt — Sees Lion- 
Spearing — Celebrated with War Dance — Kermit has 
Great Luck — Elephant Hunters of the Congo Give 
the Colonel a Warm Greeting. 

ALONG stream of porters came winding across the veldt, 
looking for all the world like a string of ants. The Stars 
and Stripes was held aloft by a giant native, and the sound of 
horns made strange discords with the chanting of the weird and 
elusive safari song. Shortly, Colonel Roosevelt arrived on the 
back of his favorite horse, Tranquility. It was the end of his last 
trip in the British East African protectorate. 

This safari, which was the fourth to be made out of Nairobi, 
gave Colonel Roosevelt and his party an opportunity to witness 
an exciting hunt at A. E. Hoey's farm at Sirgoi, in the Guaso 
Nguisho country, and the spearing of a lion by Mandi warriors. 

Seventy of these spearsmen had been asked to take part in 
the drive, and they assented readily, for when a warrior spears a 
lion he becomes a leader of the fighting section of the tribe and 
may wear a head dress formed of the lion's mane, and walk at the 
head of the file of Mandi warriors when on the march. In these 
hunts they display extraordinary courage. 

The band of seventy almost naked men, with their long, 
sharp spears, and attended by the chosen spectators, the latter 
being mounted, proceeded down a long valley, where the grass 
was thick and thorn trees lined its edges. Very soon a lion was 
observed not more than four hundred yards in front. Immediately 
the warriors gave chase, and in less than two miles they had 
rounded up the king of the wilderness. The horsemen then 
approached and it was seen that the lion at bay was a fully grown, 
black-maned one. The spearmen began their task of surrounding 

275 



276 A LION-SPEARING SAFARI. 

the quarry. Every man went to liis allotted position, an 1 the 
circle slowly closed in on the snarling beast, which swished his 
tail and kept up a continual roaring. 

The warriors drew to within some twenty yards of him, and 
the horsemen closed up to see the kill, yet remained at a sufficient 
distance not to interfere with the spearmen's movements. Three 
times the lion made a savage charge at the now stationary warriors, 
but stopped short each time, with mane bristling, roaring in 
impotent rage at his tormentors. Again the attacking party 
advanced to within ten yards of their victim. One last desperate 
effort, and he drove directly at the line, only to fall with ten spears 
quivering in his body. But in that brief moment he managed to 
drag down one of the natives, his claws sinking into the man's 
flesh. 

INCENSED AT THE KING'S DEATH. 

The death of the king seemed to awaken all the fire in the 
warriors' blood. They began a dance of triumph around the body, 
waving their blood-stained spears, some of which were bent by the 
force of the shock, holding their shields above their heads and 
shouting forth blood-curdling yells in the excess of their savage 
joy over the victory. 

In the meantime the injured man was being given medical 
attention, and he bore the pain of his wounds without a sign of 
concern. He who had first jabbed his spear through the lion 
joined in the dance at the start, but soon retired at a distance, 
where he seated himself, apparently indifferent to the antics of his 
fellows. He was now a leader of men and must, therefore, show 
no sign that he had done anything out of the ordina^. 

The luck of Kermit Roosevelt had been proverbial. While 
Colonel Roosevelt was hunting with Lord Delamere, Kermit went 
off with R. B. Cole and his Wanderobo warriors. The Wanderobos 
are adepts at killing bango, which are very rare and only to be 
found in the forests. In a short space of time the younger Roose- 
velt had secured a large and fine specimen of the female bango. 

This was p feat that any older hunter might justly be proud 



A LION-SPEARING SAFARI. 277 

of, fcr no white man has ever before stalked and shot a bango. 
There are only two cases on re> ord of a white man shooting bango 
with the aid of the natives an 1 their dogs. So pleased was one of 
the residents with the success of the youth that he presented 
Kermit with a fine specimen of the male bango, and so the Smith- 
sonian Institution will have a complete family group, the only one 
in the world. 

Commander H. Hutchinson, superintendent of marine, who 
went up with Colonel Roosevelt and his party to Rhino camp, said 
that the former President bore the hardships of the journey splen- 
didly, notwithstanding the fact that the engine broke down once 
or twice. 

When they arrived at Koba it was midnight, but they found 
all the white elephant hunters of the Congo assembled to greet 
them. Among the number was Chief Engineer Bennet, of the lake 
steamers, who in December had been captured by the natives, but 
had made his escape after enduring tortures for five days. 

ROOSEVELT WOULD NOT DISCUSS POLITICS. 

W. H. McMillan, who entertained Colonel Roosevelt on his 
ranch near Nairobi, and later, while on a visit to the United States,, 
said: 

" While at my ranch Colonel Roosevelt did not read an Ameri- 
can newspaper or magazine," said Mr. McMillan. " He continu- 
ally refused to discuss national or international politics, although 
many residents of the neighborhood questioned him on these sub- 
jects. ' I am here for pleasure,' was his answer to one and all. 
4 When I return to the United States I will say what I think about 
the situation.' 

" Colonel Roosevelt is a fair shot, not an extraordinary marks- 
man," continued Mr. McMillan. " Kermit is a better shot than his 
father, as Colonel Roosevelt admits to every one except Kermit. 
He is afraid it would make the young man think too much of himself 
to tell him so. It does not, however, take any wonderful marks- 
manship to hit an elephant or a rhinoceros." 

Describing Roosevelt's adventures in Africa, having met the 



278 A LION-SPEARING SAFARI. 

ex-President on his hunting trip, E. M. Newman, of Chicago, the 
African explorer and lecturer, said in an interview : 

" I believe that the two expert guides, Tarleton and Cunning- 
hame, have done much to keep Mr. Roosevelt in safety. They have 
stood at his back when he was attacked by wounded wild beasts and 
when other perils threatened. 

" Most people think this has been only a hunting trip, but I be- 
lieve that is the smallest end of it. I have no doubt his exploit will 
be an inspiration to mankind. 

" I believe that nothing less than an attempt to grapple with the 
world's problem of civilization, with the continental experiment 
possible in Africa, was what was in his mind. 

NATIVES BELIEVE HIM TO BE A "GREAT KING." 

" Mr. Roosevelt is an astonishing hiker. He will go striding 
through the jungle for thirty miles a day and then, after writing in 
long hand until late in the night, he will sleep about six hours and 
repeat the performance the next day. The natives in his party 
worship him and believe him to be a ' great king.' Their name for 
him — Bwana Tumbo — is the greatest compliment they could pay 
him. The fact that white men, whom they encounter, pay him such 
deference only strengthens their belief that he is a great ruler. 

" Roosevelt is just now going into the districts of peril from the 
tsetse fly. I followed expert advice in wearing a net over my 
helmet all the time. The tsetse fly looks like the ordinary housefly. 

" After its bite there are no symptoms for about two months, 
when convulsions occur, the red corpuscles disappear from the blood, 
through which the microscopic germs run like electric eels. The 
victims fall asleep. It is called the sleeping sickness. It swept 
away 300,000 in Uganda in two years. 

' The government has been driving the natives away from the 
water, brush and shade, where the fly lives ; otherwise it is believed 
that the tsetse fly would have annihilated them. Four years ago 
there were 20,000 on the Sese Islands; to-day less than 100 souls. 
The tsetse fly took all the rest." 

Mr. Roosevelt carried with him on his African trip one of the 



A LION-SPEARING SAFARI, 279 

most complete medical and surgical outfits ever prepared for any 
explorer. It was so condensed that all medicines and surgical in- 
struments could be carried in a suitcase. 

There were 15,000 doses in the tabloids, nearly forty per cent. 

of them quinine. The other medicines were to ward off diseases 

piost prevalent in equatorial Africa, chemicals to make swamp water 

1 pure and palatable, cures for snake bites, stimulants, opiates, knives, 

and bandages. 

These supplies were packed in unbreakable and airtight bottles 
of a vulcanite composition, and fitted into an aluminum case 
15x10x8. 

Liquids find no place in the assortment nor in the outfit for 
developing photographs prepared for Kermit Roosevelt by the same 
firm and put in equally condensed form. 

FIRE THREATENED TO BURN THE CAMP. 

The party had an interesting experience that had not been 
counted on upon their second day at Rhino Camp. A grass fire, 
accidentally started, threatened to burn up the whole outfit, which 
was saved only by the energetic work of all hands, including Colonel 
Roosevelt, who led in clearing the grass immediately surrounding 
the camp. 

Before leaving Rhino Camp the hunters got three more white 
rhinos, a bull buffalo and other game. Kermit Roosevelt made 
some splendid photographs of a living rhinoceros. 

The American hunters and scientists in the Nile broke camp 
in Belgian Congo, February 3, and sailed on the waiting boats and 
steamers up Lake Albert, arriving at Nimule the following day. 

"Mr. Roosevelt was kind enough to raise his hat and shake hands 
with our great ladies, as he did when bidding Prince Joseph good- 
bye. The Baganda who witnessed this were simply mad with joy 
and the Mustawa Kissa (man of kindness) has won all our hearts." 

Thus wrote Mother Mary Paul, missionary sister in charge of 
the Franciscan mission at Nsambya, Uganda, in a letter to a friend 
in New York. 

" The day was perfect," she wrote, " and the whole hill was 



280 A LION-SPEARING SAFARI. 

decorated with flags and glorious palms. Up the hill came the four 
runners who had been sent to watch when the rickshaws turned 
toward Nsambya. They arrived breathlessly to say, 'They are 
coming.' A few more minutes waiting and the first rickshaw came 
into sight with Colonel Roosevelt and the provincial commissioner, 
Mr. Knowles. 

" Introductions and handshakes followed. Colonel Roosevelt 
replied, when I. said it was kind of him to come, 'Kind! Why, 
pitchforks would not have kept me away. In fact, I would have 
been afraid to go back to the United States if I hadn't come to see 
you." 

Colonel Roosevelt gave to the Smithsonian Institution speci- 
mens of the white rhinoceros family complete. He also gave two 
skins to the American Museum of Natural History at New York 
and a head to William T. Hornaday for his collection. Mr. Roose- 
velt did not retain any of the white rhino trophies which he secured. 

EXPEDITION OF GREAT SCIENTIFIC VALUE. 

The ten days march to Gondokoro from Nimule was begun on 
February 7, the distance, roughly speaking, is 108 miles. The path 
lies through an unpeopled district and the porters were well bur- 
dened with food supplies at the start. 

The Colonel and Kermit left the expedition's trail for a day's 
hunting of elephants and giant elands at Rojaf, on the Congo side 
of Bar-El- Jabal. The hunters invaded the territory upon the special 
and eagerly accepted invitation of the Belgian authorities. 

Colonel Roosevelt and Kermit were accompanied in the Congo 
by E. B. Haddon, the British district commissioner, stationed at 
Mpumu, Uganda. The commissioner met the expedition at Kiriba 
camp, sixteen miles to the south of Gondokoro. A commodious 
brick house was placed at the disposal of Mr. Roosevelt. 

A special runner arriving in advance of the expedition brought 
the following: ''Colonel Roosevelt states that he has heartily en- 
joyed the entire trip through British East Africa, Uganda Protec- 
torate and the Lado Enclave. He is particularly pleased over his 
success in hunting white rhinoseri in the Belgian Congo. He 



A LION-SPEARING SAFARI 281 

feels that the results of the expedition will be of real and great 
scientific value." 

The Colonel and the other hunters arrived at Gondokoro on 
February 17. They had passed through the most trying stage of 
their African journey. For ten days they had been practically 
isolated in a wilderness so forbidding to the white men that it has 
not been invaded by the telegraph companies. The country is rough 
and the heat intense, the only communication between its scattered 
villages being through native runners. 

The dangers of the march from Nimule are understood by those 
familiar with the dubious route, and to these the safe arrival at 
Gondokoro brings a feeling of relief. 

At Gondokoro there are a few shops belonging to Greeks and 
Indians and a few traders make their headquarters there. The 
steamboats owned by the Sudan Government call once a month for 
passengers and the mails for Khartoum. 

GONDOKORO AN IVORY AND SLAVE CENTRE. 

Gondokoro is a famous mission station and market place in the 
territory of the Bari tribe of Soudanese. It is on the White Nile 
about 200 miles north of Albert Nyanza. A British military post 
was established there in 1871. In former times Gondokoro was a 
great centre of the ivory and slave trade, and an ivory market is 
still maintained there. 

Pope Gregory XVI. established a mission there in 1846 and the 
pro-vicar Koblecher founded a station in 185 1. A succession of 
misfortunes, including the death of Koblecher in April, 1858, and a 
famine in 1859, led to the final abandonment of the station. 

The entrance into Gondokoro of the ex-President was rudely 
picturesque, and nothing that British and native hospitality could 
suggest was lacking in the welcome. The arrival of the expedition 
in the outskirts of the town was heralded with bugle blasts by Chief 
Keriba's bugle band, which led the van. Chief Keriba accompanied 
his musicians. 

The native party had met the expedition sixteen miles to the 



282 A LION-SPEARING SAFARI. 

south, and en route here did it all the honor that could be gotten out 
of their instruments of brass and Indian drums. 

Reaching the town the band struck up " America," which, hap- 
pening to be the British national air, suited the occasion exactly. 
Belgian marches were interspersed. Following the musicians a 
native porter carried a large American flag. Then came the cara- 
van proper, Colonel Roosevelt, Kermit, the other American hunters 
and scientists and the body of native porters who have had an im- 
portant, if humble, share in the work of exploration. 

Waiting on the Bar-El-Jabel was the launch of General Sir 
Reginald Wingate, of the Egyptian army, and from the vessel were 
flying the Stars and Stripes. Mr. Roosevelt boarded the launch at 
once upon reaching there, and after a brief rest began the reading 
of his mail. Many communications awaited him. 

HUNTING EXPEDITION NEARLY ENDED. 

Kermit Roosevelt and Mr. Loring distinguished themselves 
during the day. A native had fallen into the river near the steamer, 
occupied by Colonel Roosevelt, and was drowned. Kermit and Mr. 
Loring learned of the accident and in an effort to recover the body 
dived into the water, heedless of the dangers from the crocodiles 
and the swift current. They escaped harm. 

The Governor of Mongalla, the Belgian commandant at Lado 
and other officials called upon Colonel Roosevelt during the forenoon. 

Colonel Roosevelt, Kermit and Edmund Heller, the zoologist, 
left Gondokoro February 18, on a steamer for a final week of shoot- 
ing along the river banks. 

R.J.Cunninghame, the field naturalist; Major Edgar A. Mearns 
and J. Alden Loring did not accompany the Colonel but remained 
at Gondokoro to pack the specimens, dismiss the porters and others, 
who accompanied the Colonel as helpers, and wind up the details 
incident to the close of the expedition. With the exception of the 
river excursion the hunting was practically ended. 

February 26 was breaking up day for the Smithsonian African 
scientific expedition, all of the porters and half of the servants re- 
turning to Kampala and Nairobi. 



A LION-SPEARING SAFARI. 283 

Colonel Roosevelt, during his hunt along the Nile, killed two 
bulls and one cow of the rare giant Eland type. He was much 
elated at his success. 

The eland is the largest of all the antelopes. It reaches the size 
of a large horse and may weigh as much as noo pounds. The 
expression of the face is gentle and sheep-like; the body is thick and 
heavy, but the limbs are slender. Its disposition is in keeping with 
its looks. Easily domesticated, it is a valuable animal for Africa. 
The meat is said by many to be superior to beef, but has a peculiar 
venison-like flavor. 

THE ELAND ALWAYS RUN AGAINST THE WIND. 

The eland is the one antelope that is naturally fat ; and in good 
pastures it becomes so heavy that it is easily run down in the wild 
state by dogs or horses ; but it has been observed that the eland will 
always run against the wind whenever possible if pursued, and this 
gives it an advantage over the horse. Like the majority of ante- 
lopes, the eland seems to be independent of water, frequenting the 
most desert localities far from streams and rivers. The striped 
eland is a rare specimen and seldom seen. 

Colonel Roosevelt and Kermit, together with the members of 
their shooting party, who returned to Gondokoro on the evening of 
Saturday, February 26, on the Belgian boat Boch, spent Sunday in 
resting up, their experiences during the past few days in search of 
giant elands having proved rather fatiguing. 

In the evening the party dined with the district commissioner, 
who remarked on Colonel Roosevelt's fine health. The others 
showed need of rest after an arduous year's trip. 

The Colonel confessed to his first malady since leaving New 
York — a slight attack of homesickness. The confession came after 
the receipt of a message from his wife and daughter, who had 
arrived at Naples, preparatory to going to Khartoum to meet him. 
When notified that a committee of Westerners would meet him in 
Khartoum in an effort to get him to return to the United States by 
way of the Pacific coast, the ex-President shook his head. 

" I want to get home as quickly as possible," he said. " When 



284 A LION-SPEARING SAFARI. 

I was in the jungle I didn't really allow myself to think of home or 
business. But now that the hunt is practically over I am getting 
anxious to see Sandy Hook. 

"My plans for visiting Berlin, Paris and London -have been 
made for months and I have no thought of changing them now." 

Mr. Roosevelt was really and truly delighted to receive the 
message from his wife. 

" It made me realize just how near ' home ' I was getting," he 
said, with a laugh. Regarding the hunt Mr. Roosevelt said : 

" I expected a bully time, but it has been several times more 
pleasureable than I anticipated. Twenty years from now it will be 
impossible to have such a hunt." 

FAREWELL TO THE DISTINGUISHED GUEST. 

Theodore Roosevelt, on February 28, started on his advance 
toward Khartoum. The party set off on the Dal, the Soudan 
government boat put at its disposal. Gondokoro was abroad 
early to bid farewell to its distinguished guest and his companions, 
and every man in the settlement, white, brown or black, turned out 
to cheer. 

The immediate destination was Mongalla, a river station, where 
an enthusiastic reception had been prepared. The start was 
auspicious. Escorted by officials and the black bugle corps, the 
Roosevelt party advanced to the little steamer, whose whistle 
tooted a valiant welcome. When the lines were cast off, a cheer 
went up that echoed for miles over the desert. 

The vessel was a comfortable river boat, fitted out with all the 
conveniences the white man has brought into the desert, and Colonel 
Roosevelt, shaven and clad no longer in khaki, but in tweeds, can 
Again be considered in civilization. The trip to Khartoum, where 
(here were many Americans awaiting Mr. Roosevelt, occupied about 
two weeks. 

Dr. Rodoric Prosch, a French medical missionary, who lunched 
with Colonel Roosevelt on February 28, suddenly died of African 
fever at noon the following day. 

This, those who followed the trail of the expedition say, was 



A LION-SPEARING SAFARI. 2g 5 

but another instance of " Roosevelt luck " which had attended the 
American hunters and scientists, and that they were to be congra- 
tulated upon their escape from the dreaded fever that had followed 
in the wake of the long hunt. 

At a camp joining that occupied by the Americans at Gondokoro 
an English sportsman was seriously ill following a trip to Kampala, 
the capital of Uganda, and one of the places at which the Smith- 
sonian scientific expedition stopped. 

The district commissioner of Gondokoro, the British officials of 
which were most active in entertaining their American guests, had 
been stricken with the fever and was confined to his bed. 

Dr. Prosch had done missionary work in Africa for ten years. 
During this time his health had been gradually undermined by the 
debilitating climate. His collapse was attributed to a weakened 
condition that could not resist an attack that he might have survived 
a few years before. 

DR. PROSCH A MAN OF LIBERAL IDEAS. 

At the luncheon Dr. Prosch seemed in excellent spirits and had 
a lengthy talk with the ex-President about missionary work, prov- 
ing himself a man of liberal ideas. Dr. Prosch and Colonel Roose- 
velt expected to meet again in Paris. 

Later Dr. Prosch collapsed and died within five minutes. At 
sunset he was buried on the very spot where he died, bugles sound- 
ing taps over the newly-made grave. 

When Colonel Roosevelt and the others of his party left on the 
steamer Dal they were all in good health and little the worse for their 
rough experience. 

The Colonel considers that the killing of the giant elands 
in his excursion along the upper reaches of the Nile was a fitting 
ending to a marvelously successful trip. The results generally from 
the standpoint of the hunter and the scientist have exceeded all ex- 
pectations. 

Colonel Roosevelt and his son, Kermit, have killed some five 
hundred specimens of large mammals. The bag includes the follow- 
ing: Seventeen lions, eleven eiephants, ten buffaloes, ten black rhino- 



286 A LION-SPEARING SAFARI. 

ceroses, nine white rhinoceroses, nine hippopotami, nine giraffes, 
three leopards, seven chetahs, three giant elands, three sables, one 
sitatunga and two bangos. 

All these were killed in the interest of science and the specimens 
were disposed of accordingly, the greater number going to the 
Smithsonian Institute. Mr. Roosevelt retained not more than six 
trophies for himself. 

From the point of importance the most highly-prized game may 
be rated as follows: First, giant elands, the first complete specimens 
of which family were taken from the country; second, the white 
rhinoceros ; third, the bangos, the first to be stalked and killed by a 
white man, and fourth, the sitatunga, a species of antelope. 

THE EXPEDITION VERY SUCCESSFUL. 

The naturalists secured a remarkable collection comprising 
manv thousands of birds and other mammals. The results in this line 
have been most gratifying and science will be enriched by several 
new species and an enormous series of the smaller mammals of 
Africa. The game taken and the collections made constitute a 
world's record for a similar period of hunting and scientific research 
in Africa and the American museums will receive the greatest col- 
lection of African fauna in existence. 

The work reflects the greatest credit upon all members of the 
party whose labors continued ceaselessly despite the disadvantages 
of the climate. 

All agree that too much praise cannot be accorded R. J. Cun- 
inghame, the Englishman, whose management of the expedition was 
as nearly perfect as could be conceived. 

Teddy's out of Jungle-land 

The beasts may now rejoice, 
The wanderoo and wombat 

May give their gladness voice, 
Cut the same old capers, 

Make the same old jungle noise, 
While he's a-marching to Khartoum. 



A LION-SPEARING SAFARI. 287 

Colonel Roosevelt arrived at Mongalla on March 2, and imme- 
diately after landing performed the ceremony of planting a tree to 
commemorate his visit. 

The preceding day the Colonel encountered a foretaste of the 
strenuous hospitality which characterized his progress through the 
Soudan and Europe. 

Leaving Gondokoro in the morning, he arrived at noon at 
Lado, an attractive station on the Encalave section of the Congo. 

At the landing stage the strapping Congolese soldiers under 
Commandant Rekke formed a guard of honor and escorted the 
Colonel from the landing stage, while hundreds of the inhabitants 
of the nearby villages followed in procession, anxious to see the 
khaki-shirted " King of Americani." 

Colonel Roosevelt was entertained at luncheon by tne com- 
mandant, the company numbering ten in all. 

THE COLONEL IN HAPPY MOOD. 

The Colonel was in his happiest mood, speaking French exclu- 
sively, and keeping the company laughing with his humorous tales 
of hunting in America and Africa. 

He had only a few hours respite before reaching Mongalla, 
where the reception was much more elaborate, as Colonel Owen, 
Governor of the Province, has been for years an admirer of Colonel 
Roosevelt's words and deeds. 

A huge American flag flew from a special flagstaff. It flut- 
tered between the red-crossed emblem of the Soudan and the Union 
Jack of Great Britain. 

The Soudanese troops formed a guard of honor for Colonel 
Roosevelt, whose military ardor is as strong as ever. He was parti- 
cularly struck by the general bearing of these soldiers. 

After dinner at the Governor's residence the guest of honor 
witnessed a native dance arranged for his entertainment. A thou- 
sand or more native warriors in wonderful ostrich headdresses and 
with their bodies decorated here and uncovered there after the 
African native mode and carrying terrifying broadhead spears. 

Surrounding the dancers were hundreds of carriers, and in a 



298 A LION-SPEARING SAFARI. 

knot hundreds of beaters of tomtoms, who uttered their barbaric 
cries and made a nerve-wrecking din with their musical instruments 
of gourds and hide. The scene was illuminated with hundreds of 
torches. 

The natives exhausted their repertory of dances for the visitor 
and it was the finest display Colonel Roosevelt had seen in Africa. 
The party left in the morning for Lake No. 

BEYOND THE SEA. 

Beyond the sea the lion ceases roaring, 

On Africa's coral strand, 
A respite glad his health is now restoring, 

For Teddy leaves his land. 

Beyond the sea the jungle monkeys chatter 

And say that things look bright; 
The tiger, gnu, rhinoceros, don't scatter 

And refuge take in flight. 

Beyond the sea there's much contented grunting, 

The wild hyena laughs ; 
The elephant has trumpeted : " No hunting ! 

And no more photograps !" 

Beyond the sea the tom-toms are a-drumming, 

Farewell to Theodore ; 
All Africa with business is now humming, 

Dried up the trail of gore. 

He will not change for monkeys, lions, tigers, 

The empire of the West, 
Sweet Oyster Bay's cool plunge for torrid Niger's, 

The man who knows no rest. 

Walter Beverley Crane, in Life. 

Captain Fritz Duquesne, of German East Africa, lion hunter 
and Boer war fighter, at one time considered by ex-President 
Roosevelt to head his African expedition, expressed fear that Mr. 
Roosevelt and members of his party had not escaped infection from 
the sleeping sickness. 

" It is highly probable," said Captain Duquesne, " that every 



A LION-SPEARING SAFARI. 289 

member of the Roosevelt party now has the virus of the sleeping 
sickness in his veins. It may not develop until they reach Europe, 
or even America. The sleeping sickness sometimes is not mani- 
fested in the person for several months after the infection occurs. 
It is well-nigh incredible that the Roosevelt party, passing through 
so many of the sickness zones, has escaped infection." 

The Court of Common Council at London, on March 3, unani- 
mously adopted a resolution conferring the honorary freedom of 
the city on Theodore Roosevelt, in recognition of " the distinguished 
manner in which he filled the office of President of the United States, 
and for the eminent service which he rendered the cause of civiliza- 
tion, and the promotion of amicable relations between foreign 
nations." 

The mover of the resolution, and the member .who seconded 
the same, spoke in the most eulogistic terms of Mr. Roosevelt, de- 
claring that the city would honor itself in feting the distinguished 
American, " whose heart is big enough to hold the whole world in 
friendship." 

A reception committee was appointed, specially charged to see 
that nothing was lacking to make the event memorable and " worthy 
of Roosevelt and his outstanding position in the world." 

On March 4 one hundred and fifty prominent New Yorkers 
were named to comprise the committee to give Colonel Theodore 
Roosevelt a welcome from his hunting expedition in Africa. 

This, the first step in the official preparations for the memor- 
able greeting which it was planned to give the former President, 
was taken by Mayor Gaynor following a consultation with William 
Loeb, Jr., former secretary to President Roosevelt, and collector of 
the port of New York, who was given general charge of the wel- 
coming arangements by authorization of both President Taft and 
Colonel Roosevelt. 

Cornelius Vanderbilt headed the welcoming committee as 
chairman, the second name being that of Mr. Loeb. The other 
members comprised a representative selection from the ranks of the 
city's best-known men of afTairs and the professions. 

19— T.R. 



CHAPTER XXII 

TRIUMPHANT CLOSE OF A THRILLING HUNT. 

The; Trip Down the Nile — The Expedition a Huge Success 
— Many Rare Specimens Obtained — A Perilous Three 
Days Trip — Kermit a Deadly Shot — Interested in 
Natives — On Board the Steamer Dal — Arrival at Khar- 
toum — Greeted by Officials — Cheered by Crowds. 

QOUND, common sense has been a distinguishing characteristic 
^ of Colonel Roosevelt's public and private life. Neither friend 
nor enemy can deny it. He has preserved a perfectly " level head " 
despite all the agencies working to turn it. An overplus of flatter- 
ing attentions and invitations has been heaped upon him, and yet 
his mental equilibrium has not been upset. The Emperor of 
Germany and the President of France vied with each other in 
planning to receive him with royal honors on his return from Africa, 
but he steadily declined, though professing his deep appreciation 
of their proffered courtesies, to be treated otherwise than as a 
private citizen of the United States. It is this adherence to demo- 
cratic principles that has made him popular with the people, and 
there is no subject in which he becomes interested that the great 
American public does not also immediately become interested. 

Colonel Roosevelt left the United States in March, 1909, with 
the best wishes of millions of Americans that his expedition would 
prove successful from a scientific standpoint, and that he would 
have a safe return. This great expedition being a fact and the 
fondest hopes of the scientists who made up the party were more 
than realized. 

The guns of the expedition no longer are of use, as the hunt 
officially ended with the killing at Lado Ensclave of a leopard, 
cheetah, waterbuck and various kinds of antelopes. With the addi- 
tion of these animals the collection of fauna is regarded as complete 
as possible. 

290 



TRIUMPHANT CLOSE OF A THRILLING HUNT. 291 

No killing was done wantonly. Time and again game was 
spared, the hunters becoming naturalists and studying the habits 
and characteristics of the animals. 

Thirteen thousand specimens, many extremely rare, were ob- 
tained. They make a remarkable collection, including: lions, white 
and black rhinoceroses, elephants, hippopotami, tiyc±*as o,nd digdig. 
The latter is an antelope smaller than a jack rabbit. 

The collection is regarded not only by the party, but by 
Africans, as remarkable. Its like does not exist. The work of 
collecting was attended with great hardships and much personal 
danger. 

ROOSEVELT ESCAPES ELEPHANT. 

In one instance, Colonel Roosevelt shot a bull elephant without 
noticing that another was near by. The latter dashed at him, 
touching the Colonel with its trunk as it passed. The hunter saved 
himself by a quick jump behind a tree. 

Nearly every day dangerous incidents were recorded, but, 
fortunately, not a single white man in the party was injured 
throughout the expedition. The Colonel and Kermit retained their 
health, thus disproving Professor Starr's gruesome suggestion made 
in Chicago that they probably would be ill. The other four whites 
were ill, and also some of the blacks, one of the latter dying. On 
the last hunt Colonel Roosevelt and his son were the only ones in 
the party who were in fit condition to shoot. 

Colonel Roosevelt was especially touched by the action of the 
men in saving the last bottle of water for his use. 

Every man speaks in the highest terms of the bravery of the 
others in the party. The blacks were particularly enthusiastic 
regarding the Colonel and Kermit. They have a keen affection 
for the former, because of the interest and care he had manifested 
for their welfare. 

Eleven blacks, garbed in the remnants of civilized costumes, 
one with the lobes of his ears cut in twain, surrounded Colonel 
Roosevelt, standing at attention, while he pointed them out to 
visitors. 



2*3 TRIUMPHANT CLOSE OF A THRILLING HUNT. 

Two gun-bearers, with teeth filed to a point, seemed on springs, 
ready to act whenever the master ordered. They are described as 
fearless, but like children, who frequently are naughty, and must 
be punished. At the same time they are faithful. Colonel Roose- 
velt entertains a real attachment for the blacks and regretted the 
separation when they returned to Mombosa. 

As an indication of the hardships suffered one of the members 
of the party tells of a trip Colonel Roosevelt undertook lasting three 
days, during which he struggled afoot through a thick jungle under 
the burning equatorial sun searching for game. He was afoot 14 
hours the first day, 13 hours the second day, and 12 hours the third 
day. 

" Bwano Tumbo is a mighty hunter," said Cuninghame with a 
smile, " but if his laurels have been imperilled at all on this expedi- 
tion it has been by Kermit, who is one of the deadliest shots and 
nerviest men, young or old, I ever met." 

RECEPTION AT THE AMERICAN MISSION. 

Colonel Roosevelt and his party left Taufikia on the night of 
March 9, and arrived at Kodok at eight o'clock the following morn- 
ing At the American mission at Doleib Hill on the Sobat river 
the travelers were received with much enthusiasm. During the 
stop at Taufikia all of the officers of the garrison were invited to 
meet Colonel Roosevelt at tea. 

Doleib Hill is the northernmost missionary outpost of the 
United Presbyterian Church in Africa, and was visited by Dr. 
Charles P. Watson, secretary of the Board of Foreign Missions of 
the United Presbyterian Church, several years before. The entire 
region, Dr. Watson said, was infested with poisonous snakes, which 
come out of the ground when the wet season sets in, and literally 
swarm over the hill or knoll upon which the mission buildings stand. 

Most of these snakes, he said, were poisonous, and the bite of 
a certain species produced almost instant death. The bites of 
another species were equally fatal, he added, but the victim usually 
suffered intensely for several hours before death brought the only 
known relief. Many of the exciting experiences which the mis- 



TRIUMPHANT CLOSE OF A THRILLING HUNT. 293 

sionaries stationed at that point had undergone as a result of tnese 
snakes, furnished an interesting chapter, he said, in the history of 
the enterprise. 

According to Dr. Watson, the Doleib Hill mission was founded 
in 1 90 1. It is in the heart of a wild and unsettled section of the 
country. Previous to the conquest of the Soudan by Lord Kitchener 
and the Egyptian forces, two years previous, the country that far 
North along the Nile was impenetrable for missionaries and other 
white men. 

The mission is in charge of seven Americans, including two 
industrial missionaries, one ordained missionary and a medical mis- 
sionary. The work at this station has moved chiefly along indus- 
trial lines, and extensive experiments have been made in discovering 
what trees, plants and vegetables can be successfully grown in that 
section of the country. 

THE NATIVES VERY PEACEABLE TO THE MISSION. 

The utter isolation of the American missionaries at this point is 
attested by the fact that the nearest station to it is Khartoum, more 
than five hundred miles away. Communications between the two 
places is limited to a small steamer which reaches Doleib Hill once 
every two or three weeks. The region is sparsely populated, there 
being only 500,000 in the entire Soudanese province. They have 
proved unexpectedly peaceable towards the missionaries, though it is 
almost impossible to persuade them to give up their savage customs. 

Colonel Roosevelt's visit to the mission was made at the invi- 
tation of the Presbyterian Foreign Mission Board previous to sailing 
for Africa, according to Dr. Watson. 

* " When we learned that Mr. Roosevelt intended to traverse 
the entire course of the Nile from Lake Victoria Nyanza to Alex- 
andria, on the Mediterranean," said Dr. Watson, " we asked him 
to visit our station along the route. He gave us no definite promise, 
but said he would visit as many as circumstances would permit." 

Speeding down the White Nile the government steamer Dal, 
with Colonel Roosevelt and his son, Kermit, on March 12, was at a 
point little more than 200 miles south of Khartoum, the capital of 



294 TRIUMPHANT CLOSE OF A THRILLING HUNT. 

the Egyptian Soudan. " Full speed," was the order issued by the 
captain of the Dal at the Colonel's request. 

In tow of the steamer was a barge containing thousands of 
the specimens which Colonel Roosevelt came to Africa to bag. They 
constitute the largest collection of specimens ever taken out of 
Africa. In it were some extremely rare specimens ; the first whole 
skin of the great eland which was killed by Colonel Roosevelt and 
Kermit, after great hardships ; a white eared kob, a Gray's waterbok, 
a shoebill stork and a dik-dik, an antelope about the size of a jack- 
rabbit. Eleven Africans who accompanied the expedition were in 
charge of the barge and specimens. Colonel Roosevelt lauds the 
courage and faithfulness of the Africans. 

ROOSEVELT PROUD OF HIS SUCCESS. 

The barge looked like a crowded animal cemetery with the lid 
off. Colonel Roosevelt surveyed it triumphantly. He was very 
proud of his success and of Kermit's. 

He passed most of the time on the Dai's deck, from which, not 
infrequently, he saw in the Nile hippopotami as huge as those for 
which he journeyed so much further. Water fowl were abundant 
and a variety of small game constantly excite a stranger's interest. 
But Colonel Roosevelt was no longer Bwana Tumbo. His eager- 
ness to kill for the sake of science was ended. 

He found joy enough basking in the fine weather. The mer- 
cury sometimes flirts around ioo in the shade in the afternoons, but 
the cool nights and mornings give ample opportunity to recuperate. 

Truly remarkable was the health enjoyed by Colonel Roosevelt 
and his son, practically the only two members of the expedition, 
among the whites, at least, who escaped sickness. Slight attacks, 
such as most of the party experienced, were only natural, in view 
of the hardships endured, heat of the tropics, noisome places through 
which the expedition was compelled to pass at times, and deadly 
insects. 

The Sesse islands, through which the steamer threaded on the 
trip to Eutebbe, are a monument to the devastation wrought by the 



TRIUMPHANT CLOSE OF A THRILLING HUNT. 29.', 

tsetse fly, for, once well populated, they are now devoid of human 
life through the sleeping sickness scourge. 

Colonel Roosevelt displayed the greatest concern in the care of 
the party and native attendants. His personal interest was shown, 
when one of the correspondents, who had been within touch of the 
expedition from the very beginning, was forced to drop behind on 
one of the long marches. He was finally brought up by porters, 
who carried him many miles in a hammock, and after that dragged 
him many more in a rickshaw. Colonel Roosevelt immediately 
insisted that Dr. Mearns take the case in hand, and when the doctor 
decided that an operation was necessary, the former President 
volunteered to assist. 

INTERESTED IN NATIVES. 

Nothing pleased the ex-President more than the native guards 
of honor which turned out at every conceivable place to greet his 
coming. At one of the stations in Uganda a native contingent, 
with two bands, one a fife and drum and the other composed of 
brasses, marched to a private house, where Colonel Roosevelt was 
a guest at lunch, and drew up for review. 

The manner in which the training of the natives is carried out 
interested Colonel Roosevelt greatly. He saw uneducated natives 
taking and sending messages by Morse code and semaphore, with 
flags, by lamp and heliograph. Although these signal men do not 
know what the message means, yet they never make a mistake in 
sending or receiving. 

Looking the picture of health, with physical fitness showing in 
every line, Theodore Roosevelt arrived at Khartoum on March 14 
from the long trail, over which he had spent nearly a year in the 
pursuit of game. 

Thousands of persons had gathered to see him, and they 
descried from afar the familiar form and more familiar smile — 
made so even to those who had never before set eyes on the ex-Pre- 
sident by the countless pictures of him which had been published. 

Later in the day there was a joyous reunion of Colonel and 
Mrs. Roosevelt and their children, Kermit and Miss Ethel, in the 



296 TRIUMPHANT CLOSE OF A THRILLING HUNT. 

north station of Khartoum, Mrs. Roosevelt and her daughter arriv- 
ing there about half-past 5 o'clock in the evening. 

A launch carrying the representatives of the governor general 
of Anglo-Egyptian Soudan, Major-General Sir Francis Reginald 
Wingate, sirdar of the Egyptian army, met the steamer Dal up the 
river. On this small craft Colonel Roosevelt and the members of 
his party had voyaged for more than 1300 miles from Gondokoro 
in Uganda, where they embarked on February 28. 

It was a wearisome trip, for there was little to be seen, and the 
latter part of the voyage was exceedingly uninteresting, the river 
sometimes being a mile and a half wide, with mud flats on either 
side, where only crocodiles abounded, and toward the end Colonel 
Roosevelt displayed considerable anxiety to be ashore. 

OFFICIAL GREETING AT KHARTOUM. 

The White Nile was more placid than the preceding day, when 
a heavy northwest gale stirred up the water and threatened delay 
to the anxiously awaited steamer, and the sirdar's launch was able 
to proceed a long distance up the river, bearing the first official 
greeting to Khartoum's distinguished guest. 

The sirdar's staff officers were taken aboard, and when the 
steamer, with the American, British and Egyptian flags flying, 
arrived at Gordon's Tree, they were seen surrounding the former 
President on the bridge. Colonel Roosevelt was attired in khaki 
and wore a white helmet. 

For several hours the Dal tied up opposite Gordon's Tree, 
within sight of Khartoum, and during that time Colonel Roosevelt 
occupied himself in answering hundreds of cablegrams and letters, 
which had accumulated there. 

All observers remarked his fitness and energy, and among 
them were those who had noted in Colonel Roosevelt when he left 
New York a year before the effects of the strain of a long and 
strenuous term in office. From these effects he has now completely 
recovered, and, although apparently the hardships which he under- 
went in the wilds of Africa had not reduced his flesh to any'appre- 



TRIUMPHANT CLOSE OF A THRILLING HUNT. 297 

ciable degree, he looked, to use his own words, able to " hit the line 
hard." 

Although the ex-President had refused to grant an interview 
or give out a statement on public questions until he was in possession 
of the fullest information on all points, he realizes, he said, that he 
had before him a series of harder working days than jungle 
hunting. 

Shortly after 4 o'clock in the afternoon the steamer came up 
slowly to the palace dock, amid a continuous volley of cheers. 
Colonel Roosevelt was warmly greeted by Major-General Sir Rudolf 
Baron Slatin Pasha, inspector general, and Major P. R. Phipps, the 
sirdar's private secretary. 

He and other members of the party were conducted to the palace 
grounds, where the heads of the various governmental departments 
were introduced and tea was served. The sirdar's palace is situated 
in the center of six acres of beautiful gardens. It stands on the 
site of Gordon's palace, on the steps of which Gordon was slain. 

MEETS WIFE AND DAUGHTER. 

After tea the Colonel and his son crossed the river to the 
Khartoum north station, where Mrs. Roosevelt and Miss Ethel 
arrived shortly afterward on an express. Arrangements had been 
made so that the meeting was in private, and the reunited family 
remained within the palace car for some time, coming forth laugh- 
ing and happy. They returned together to the sirdar's palace. 

Colonel Roosevelt spoke enthusiastically about his hunting trip, 
but he acknowledged that he was a trifle homesick and was not sorry 
to return to civilization. 

The party secured an enormous bag of game in the Sudd dis- 
trict, where, Mr. Roosevelt said, they had not been troubled at all by 
mosquitoes, which usually are an almost unbearable pest. The 
Colonel was much interested in the Uganda missions, and spoke in 
high terms of the Lado Enclave, which he visited. 

The steamer Dal, upon which the American members of the 
Smithsonian African expedition made the trip from Gondokoro, 
was delayed somewhat by the unusually turbulent waters of the 



298 TRIUMPHANT CLOSE OF A THRILLING HUNT. 

White Nile, but the party was able to keep within one hour of the 
schedule time for the arrival. 

A steam launch filled with newspaper correspondents who had 
been sent from all parts of the world accompanied the Dal in the last 
part of the trip. 

Upon the pier Colonel Roosevelt was pressed by an enormous 
and enthusiastic crowd, all anxious for the nearest possible view 
of the American, but his escort saved him from any possible dis- 
comfort. 

Khartoum endeavored to conceal her disappointment because 
Colonel Roosevelt did not come out of the wilds literally swinging 
his hat and whooping. The Soudan had pictured Roosevelt as a 
rampant Yankee filled with an irresistible enthusiasm, and it ex- 
pected that he would advance with a cowboy flourish. 

THE COLONEL'S SECOND DAY IN KHARTOUM. 

Colonel Roosevelt's second clay in Khartoum was given up 
largely to sight-seeing, and the most interesting place of all to the 
former President was the battlefield of Kerreri, which lies seven 
miles north of Omdurman. It was there that the advance of the 
Anglo-Egyptian army, under Sir Herbert Kitchener, was contested 
by the Khalifa and his troops, numbering about 40,000, and it was 
here that the bodies of 11,000 dead Dervishes were counted the 
following day. 

An escort of picturesquely-attired Soudanese cavalry was in 
waiting when the yacht came to her dock. Colonel Roosevelt 
inspected the squad, and then the party mounted camels prepara- 
tory to the seven-mile trip over dusty roads. 

The first halt was at the monument erected to the Twenty- 
first Lancers, who here received their baptism of fire. In this 
battle the Lancers made a desperate charge to save the day, but 
they fell into an ambush at one of the dry water courses seaming 
the plain, and many of them were speared by the Dervishes. 

Thence they proceeded to a hill overlooking the battlefield. 
Slatin Pasha, Inspector General, explained the position and attack, 
and graphically described the operations. Colonel Roosevelt 



TRIUMPHANT CLOSE OF A THRILLING HUNT. 299 

astonished the Inspector with his marvelous knowledge of the 
history of Omdurman and the military tactics employed by both 
the British and Khalifa's troops. The party then returned to the 
Elfin and proceeded to the palace, thoroughly delighted with the 
trip. 

Beginning with an early return trip on the following day to 
the Omdurman battlefield and visits to a half dozen of the inter- 
esting places in the city, the party returned to the palace in the 
afternoon and prepared to witness the gymknana races at the polo 
grounds. 

The trip to Omdurman was made by steamboat, and was 
under personal supervision of Colonel Hutchinson, who, with the 
officers and shieks that met the party at Omdurman, was dressed 
in picturesque robes. A brief ceremony marked the landing of 
the boat at the battlefield. 

VISITS OF ABSORBING INTEREST. 

Slatin Pasha, Inspector General, again played an important 
part in entertainment of the guests. After their return to Khar- 
toum he conducted them to the house where he was imprisoned 
in the war of twelve years before. 

The Khalifa's house was another interesting point visited, as 
was also the mahdi's tomb, which was rifled of the body of the 
mahdi and almost ruined after the British occupation. General 
Gordon's piano, with which the famous general whiled away his 
hours in the palace was one of the most interesting relics shown 
the party. The piano is dilapidated, but is guarded as one of the 
prized possessions of the city. 

While at Omdurman Colonel Roosevelt inspected the Twelfth 
Soudanese regiment, which gave a special drill in his honor. The 
soldiers were dressed in khaki uniforms with orange-tufted tarboo- 
shers, presenting a picture that brought high praise from the 
former rough rider. The Colonel was surprised at the military 
tactics displayed by the Egyptian soldiers, and remarked to Slatin 
Pasha that it spoke volumes for the efficacy of English military 
training. 



300 TRIUMPHANT CLOSE OF A THRILLING HUNT. 

Slatin Pasha regaled the party for an hour that afternoon 
with vivid accounts of his thirteen years' captivity. He showed 
them the well that he dug with his own hands and the courtyard 
that he built in his prison home. 

The final day was made up of various functions, one of which 
was at the Egyptian Club, where he impressed the Egyptian offi- 
cers with the importance of not mixing politics with soldiering. 

The Colonel gathered the remaining members of his African 
expedition around him at a lunch in the palace, and there were 
many exchanges of friendship before farewells were said. The 
guests included Sir Alfred Pease, who was Colonel Roosevelt's 
first host in Africa ; Clayton Bey, of the Sirdar's staff, and Captain 
Meredith, of the steamer Dal, on which the party came from 
Gondokoro. 

A PAINFUL FAREWELL. 

The ex-President tried to make the affair as lively as possible, 
but he was considerably moved when it came to shaking hands 
with those whom he is not likely to see again for a long time. He 
expressed the greatest admiration for Captain Cunninghame's 
strenuous and unremitting labors, and those of the naturalists, by 
reason of which the expedition had been such a marked success. 

After an inspection of the missions, under the guidance of 
Bishop Gwynne, Colonel Roosevelt attended a reception at the 
Grand Hotel, where he again met the officials of Khartoum. 
Mrs. Roosevelt and Miss Ethel were engaged most of the day in 
packing up preparatory to leaving for Cairo, and w r ere unable to 
attend the functions, which, however, were graced by the presence 
of many ladies. 

The band of the Twelfth Soudanese Infantry played a special 
programme of native music, which is peculiarly weird and inspir- 
ing, for the benefit of Colonel Roosevelt. Later a group of native 
women gave an exhibition of dances peculiar to the Soudanese. 

In a speech at the Egyptian Officers' Club Colonel Roosevelt 
advised the officers to drop politics while they were soldiers. He 
was a soldier himself, he said, and a politician, but he never let 
them intermix 



TRIUMPHANT CLOSE OF A THRILLING HUNT. 301 

After three of the liveliest days Khartoum had seen outside 
of war times the people were loath to see the ex-President depart, 
and much of the last day was taken up by prominent persons who 
called to bid him good-by. Among the farewells were those to 
the members of the hunting expedition, who made the return trip 
to America by a different route from the Colonel. 

THE MOST POPULAR MAN IN THE WORLD. 

The title of a private citizen, which Colonel Roosevelt wears, 
is more of a talisman in Europe now than the crown of any king. 

Nothing could indicate this more clearly than the great prep- 
arations that were made in the capitals of the countries, that he 
visited, to receive him with great distinction. No crowned head 
was ever shown such great honors as were shown to the former 
President of the United States. 

This is true, too, despite the fact that Col. Roosevelt all along 
insisted that he be received in an unofficial capacity. Had he 
permitted the various countries to follow their own inclinations 
regarding the receptions to be accorded him, his tour through 
Europe would have been one of continuous triumph. 

Colonel Roosevelt is the most interesting personality in the 
world to-day, according to the European viewpoint, which same 
viewpoint also makes it likely he will be a figure to reckon with 
when he returns to America. 

The effect of the homage shown him by European countries 
is sure to be an enhancement of his popularity at home, and many 
in England, Germany, France and other countries of Europe will 
be surprised if the political exigencies of America do not again 
sweep him into the Presidential Chair. 



CHAPTER XXIII 

ROYAL HONORS FOR THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 

Sees a Succession of Perfect Mirages — Visits the Great 
Assuan Dam — Lauds Mission Workers — Lionized in 
Cairo — Guest of the Khedive — Wanders Among Tombs 
of Kings — Views Sphinx by Mooneight — Visits Tempee 
of Buees — " Not a Lion did his Duty " — The Coeonee 
Attends Easter Service. 

WHILE rambling through the ruins of the land of the Nile, 
descending into the dark tombs of ancient kings, studying 
the hieroglyphs and communing with the celebrated Sphinx, an 
American citizen attracted the attention of the entire world. In 
ancient Egypt, potentates did him honor; at home, the newspapers 
printed daily stories of his activities. 

What was the meaning of it? What was there in a visit to 
Africa, or in an exploration of the tombs of the mummies, that 
aroused such intense interest? 

Why were the things which Theodore Roosevelt did in a fara- 
way land chronicled with a minuteness and detail? 

Everything that happened concerning the nation, or policies 
of government, seemed to be considered from this angle — What 
did Roosevelt think of it, and what would he have done about it ? 

Colonel Roosevelt was not the first ex-President of these 
United States who, surviving his term, visited foreign lands. He 
was not the first tp have indulged his literary fancies. Yet, there 
is something in him and in what he did that make him different 
from all the others. 

Shrewd observers of all sorts agree that Roosevelt is the most 
extraordinary personality in our population, and in some sense in 
the whole world. He is hated, he is loved, he is feared, he is 
criticised, he is analyzed, but in every case the conclusion is that he 
is a force to be dealt with, that he is a great man. 

302 



ROYAL HONORS FOR THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 303 

Colonel Roosevelt and his family arrived at Wadi-Halfa from 
Khartoum on the evening of March 18, and boarded the steamer 
Ibis for Shellal, which lies some 150 miles down the Nile, at the 
head of the First Cataract, close to the great Assuan reserve dam 
and adjacent to Philae, where are the temples of Isis and other 
works of the ancient Egyptians. 

" The desert offers a striking contrast to the green of the 
wilderness where I've been," observed the Colonel, while making 
the long journey from Khartoum to Haifa. ' The mirages on 
both sides of the Sotik remind me of those I saw in the Sotik 
country in British East Africa. In one I saw a rhinoceros which 
I believed to be standing in a shallow lake, which proved to be a 
mirage." 

OLD EGYPT'S MAGNETIC ATTRACTIONS. 

In the meantime the lure of old Egypt holds Colonel Roosevelt 
and his family. They passed Sunday inspecting and wondering at 
the submerged ruins at Philae and the tombs and the great dam 
at Assuan, the largest in the world, planned to reservoir a thousand 
million cubic metres of water (234,000,000,000 gallons) to irrigate 
lower Egypt, under the pitiless sun. They returned weary but 
enthusiastic to sleep on the Nile steamboat before they start for 
Luxor, the site of ancient Thebes. 

The express for Luxor was crowded with tourists returning 
to Europe. A special car had been provided for the Roosevelt 
family, and they dined by themselves during the trip. The journey 
was a very dusty one, without special incident. The scenery along 
the route, however, afforded some diversion, giving, as it does, a 
practical illustration of the utility of the great Assuan Dam, which 
has enabled the natives to cover the countryside with wheat and 
other crops in the dry season. 

When the former President's party reached the station at 
Assuan he was greeted by the tourists from the Cataract Hotel 
and by a number of Egyptian officials. In answer to their cordial 
reception, he made a brief address in which he repeated practically 
the words spoken previously to the Egyptian officers. 



304 ROYAL HONORS FOR THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 

American Consul General Lewis Morris Iddings, stationed a' t 
Cairo, was the first to greet the Roosevelts on their arrival. He 
led them across the platform to a spot where a group of ladies and 
a party of Egyptian officials were waiting to be introduced. From 
the station the party were driven to the Winter Palace Hotel, which 
was well filled with visitors 

They were greeted by a great number of American citizens, 
many travelers having waited to see the former President. Colonel 
Roosevelt held a reception at the Hotel, and shook hands with more 
than a hundred visitors from the United States, and as each passed 
he made characteristic remarks, which served to recall old days in 
the White House. At the close of the reception the visitors gave 
three cheers and then broke forth with the slogan : 

"What's the matter with Roosevelt? He's all right!" 

This caused the Colonel to smile, and he said : 

" I wish I could give three cheers for every State from Cali- 
fornia to Massachusetts." 

COLONEL ROOSEVELT RECEIVES MANY ATTENTIONS. 

The attentions which were bestowed upon Colonel Roosevelt 
increased to an impressive degree as he approached the areas which 
contained a greater white population. They did not fall short of 
those conferred upon royalty itself 

Indeed, the Kaiser's son, Prince Eitel, who, with his wife, was 
traveling in Egypt, was completely eclipsed by the greater star, 
and did not receive one-tenth part of the homage which was be- 
stowed upon the former President of the United States. The 
Colonel left Assuan a few hours before the arrival of Prince Eitel 
and his wife. He telegraphed the Prince expressing his regret 
that his plans prevented their meeting there. 

Immediately after breakfast the next morning the Roosevelt 
party left the hotel and crossed the Nile to Felucca. Horses were 
provided. Kermit was dressed in riding clothes and Colonel Roose- 
velt wore khaki. Carriages were used by his wife and daughter, 
Mr. Iddings and Mr. Abbot. Mounting spirited Arabs and accom- 




BIRD'S-EYE-VIEW OF EGYPT, SHOWING THE PLACES WHERE 
20— T.R. COLONEL ROOSEVELT VISITED. 



305 



306 ROYAL HONORS FOR THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 

panied by Chief of Police Weigall, Colonel Roosevelt cantered 
down the tortuous narrow desert valley, followed closely by the 
carriages, to the tombs of the Kings, 3000 years old. The day was 
the hottest since Colonel Roosevelt reached civilization, the south- 
west wind resembling a sirocco. 

When the inspection of the tombs was completed, Weigall, 
wishing to test the famous endurance of the ex-President, suggested 
a tramp across the cliffs, which led through a perilous path where 
the heat is intensified by the reflection on the rocks, expecting that 
Mr. Roosevelt would object. 

The Colonel not only kept up, but led, making Mr. Weigall 
admit that he had underestimated the strength of the ex-President. 
On returning, four men of the party, including Mr. Roosevelt, 
engaged in a horse race for a mile over the desert in the hot sun, 
Colonel Roosevelt winning easily by the grace of his horse, as he 
laughingly said. Mr. Weigall and Kermit tied for second place. 

THE COLONEL'S KNOWLEDGE OF ANCIENT RULERS. 

" He astonished me by his knowledge of the relations of the 
rulers who lived several thousand years ago," observed Mr. Weigall. 
In connection with Hatesu VIII, Mr. Roosevelt recalled that she 
was the first woman ruler of civilized history, and from the amount 
of trouble she gave Tomes, one of her numerous husbands, the 
Colonel suggested that he must have been the first henpecked hus- 
band of whom any record exists. 

In their tour that day the party first entered Sethos, the first 
and most beautiful of the Biban El Moluk tombs. The caverns in 
the rocky hills reached back into long corridors lighted by fitful 
candles and occasionally by electricity, recalling the descent into 
mines. 

At the tomb of Jenophis the party was led through the dark- 
ness by a railing. Suddenly the light was turned on and they 
looked at a crypt containing a mummy-shaped coffin with the black- 
ened remains of the King, his arms folded, which reminded the 
party of the tomb of Napoleon. This is the most dramatic sight 
in connection with the antique monuments of Egypt. 



ROYAL HONORS FOR THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 307 

On the way from Luxor to Karnok Colonel Roosevelt halted 
at the American Mission, where he delivered a brief address. 
Later in the day he visited the German Consulate, and there was 
shown a book bearing the signature of his father and Ralph Waldo 
Emerson, which were written in 1873. 

Colonel Roosevelt finished his sight-seeing by inspecting the 
Luxor Temple. The party left at 7 o'clock on the night of the 23, 
and reached Cairo the following morning. 

The Egyptian capital gave Colonel Theodore Roosevelt the 
most enthusiastic reception accorded to a foreigner in fifty years. 
This historic old city turned out en masse to greet the former 
President of the United States, and official Cairo vied with the re- 
mainder of the population in heaping honors upon the mighty 
hunter, whose exploits had been followed with the most intense 
interest. 

THE COLONEL RECEIVES A POPULAR OVATION. 

It was Roosevelt Day, and everybody was out to acclaim the 
famous American. The Khedive greeted him cordially, the crowds 
massed along the streets cheered his carriage and the Americans 
shouted themselves hoarse at Shepheard's Hotel. Prom early 
morning until far into the night the ovation lasted. Colonel Roose- 
velt's name was on every tongue, and his appearance at any point 
was the signal for a tremendous demonstration. The city made a 
holiday of the occasion. 

The Colonel was met by Lewis M. Iddings, the American consul 
general ; Mr. Strauss, the American ambassador to Turkey, and the 
leading government officials. 

He took lunch at the American agency, and was afterward 
received at Abdin palace by the Khedive, who warmly welcomed 
him, and listened intently and interestedly to the Colonel's account 
of his shooting expedition, the story of the country he had traversed 
and the various classes of natives he had met in the course of his 
journey. 

The Khedive sent a palace carriage to Shepheard's Hotel to 
convey the visitors to the palace. It was the first time this atten- 



308 ROYAL HONORS FOR THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 

tion had been accorded to a private citizen of any country. More- 
over, the Khedive returned Roosevelt's visit in royal fashion. 

The Khediviah also received Mrs. and Miss Roosevelt with 
unusual marks of distinction. She walked through two or three 
rooms to meet them, instead of waiting for them in the reception 
room. She had coffee served to them in gold cups, studded with 
diamonds. She talked with them in French for nearly an hour, 
asking many questions about the position of women. 

Later in the day the party drove to the Mena House for the 
purpose of viewing the impressive spectacle of the pyramids by 
moonlight. Extensive festivities had been arranged there in their 
honor, lasting well into the night. 

Up with the sun, after a restful night, Colonel Roosevelt and 
his party were early astir, preparing for a visit to the Necropolis of 
Sakkara, where are the wonderful tombs of various kings, of Thy 
and of the Apis bulls. 

RECEIVES SPECIAL RECOGNITION. 

Major F. K. Watson, pacha, aide de camp to the Khedive, was 
an early caller. He tendered to Colonel Roosevelt the use of the 
Khedive's special camel corps for the eight-mile ride across the 
desert to Sakkara. Such a tender always is a special mark of 
favor, and Colonel Roosevelt accepted it with much pleasure. The 
Colonel and Kermit each rode one of the animals over the dreary 
waste to the Necropolis, but Mrs. Roosevelt and Miss Ethel chose 
a more comfortable sand cart. 

Arriving at the tombs of the bulls of Apis, the oldest of which 
dates back to 1500 B. C, the time of the reign of Amennophis III, 
the sightseers were met by an archeologist who had been instructed 
to act as their guide. With lighted candles, the Americans entered 
the dark caverns, and looked with interest upon the huge sarcophagi. 

From the tombs of Bulls the party proceeded to the temples 
and the tomb of Thy, a plebeian, who lived in the fifth dynasty, but 
who was so esteemed that he was permitted to marry a princess. 

" Not a lion did his duty." With this declaration, delivered 
in mock gravity, former President Roosevelt concluded his informal 



ROYAL HONORS FOR THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 309 

remarks at a reception given the following morning to fellow-citi- 
zens from America. The joke -on those who openly wished that 
the lions would get him was not lost and caused a hearty laugh, in 
which the speaker joined. 

The reception was held in the beautiful gardens adjoining the 
Shepheard's Hotel, and as early as 8 o'clock a crowd was there. 
A temporary platform had been erected, decorated with American 
flags and palms. When Mr. Roosevelt appeared he received a 
noisy ovation. The cheers were followed by the singing of " My 
Country, 'Tis of Thee." 

The Colonel said that he would not make a speech, but wished 
to say that he was glad of the opportunity to meet fellow-country- 
men. He was glad, he said, to see America in the East. Then he 
assured them that the lions in Africa had not accomplished the 
mission jokingly imposed upon them. 

THE COLONEL EXTENDS A PERSONAL GREETING. 

A line was formed, and passing the platform every one of the 
crowd, in which women predominated, shook hands with Colonel 
Roosevelt and received a personal greeting. This over, another 
cheer was given and once more " My Country, 'Tis of Thee," was 
sung. Following the reception the Colonel went to his apartments 
and prepared for the visit to Al-Azhar University. 

In his visit to the mosque, Al-Azhar, which in 988 was turned 
into a university, Colonel Roosevelt was accompanied by Mrs. 
Roosevelt, Kermit, Miss Ethel and a few others. A number of 
American tourists seized the opportunity to inspect the mosque 
when the invited party was received. 

At the " gate of the barbers " the visitors were detained until 
commodious yellow-covered shoes could be tied over their boots, as 
the feet of infidels are not permitted to desecrate the Mohammedan 
floors. A thorough inspection of the mosque was made, the Colonel 
being especially interested in the ancient carvings, the Koreans 
which had been the personal property of past Khedives and other 
celebrities, and the wealth of curious objects in the museum. 

The Roosevelts and Ambassador and Mrs. Strauss were guests 



310 ROYAL HONORS FOR THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 

of the Khedive at luncheon at the palace. In the afternoon they 
visited the museum of Arab art. ■ 

Easter was observed by Colonel Roosevelt in much the same 
way as though he had been at home. In conventional silk hat and 
frock coat, he attended the Easter services at the English Church, 
which was crowded to the doors with worshipers. 

Probably the most interesting incident in connection with 
Colonel Roosevelt's visit occurred when, at his own suggestion, he 
held an informal conference with Egyptian newspaper men. 

The ex-President had been keenly interested in the attack by 
the native press on his speeches, they charging that he has inter- 
fered in Egyptian politics, and said that he would like to have a 
heart-to-heart talk with the editors. As a result the newspaper 
men visited him during the day, all of them displaying great eager- 
ness for the interview. Most of them wore European frock coats 
and tarbushes, but one tall, dignified Arab sheikh appeared in flow- 
ing robes and turban. 

THE COLONEL ADDRESSES THE ASSEMBLAGE. 

After the introductions the Colonel addressed the assemblage. 
Some of them could speak only Arabic, and hence an interpreter 
was necessary. The Colonel said something about it being the duty 
of journalists to promote religious toleration, whereupon the sheikh 
eagerly interjected in gutteral Arabic: "Moslems and Christians 
have lived peaceably side by side in Egypt for thirteen centuries. 
There is no reason why they cannot continue to do so." 

If he anticipated that this would lead to an argument, he was 
disappointed, for Colonel Roosevelt only rapped out with appre- 
ciative vigor : " That's fine ; that's fine," and went on with his homily 
on the power and responsibility of the press. Describing it as the 
most formidable weapon of modern life, he declared it ought only 
to be used for good purposes. 

To this the sheikh, among others, heartily assented. The 
interview ended without any controversy, and with mutual compli- 
ments and a general display of good feeling. Asked afterward 
what were their impressions of the meeting, it became clear that 



ROYAL HONORS FOR THEODORE ROOSEVELT. 311 

what struck the editors most was the freedom with which Colonel 
Roosevelt talked with them, and the pleasure he seemed to feel at 
meeting them. 

It was such an unexpected attitude on the part of the man who 
had been the head of a great nation that one of the newspaper men 
declared that his heart was so full of admiration and gratitude that 
he could hardly restrain his tears. Another, who is an ardent 
Nationalist, said : " Mr. Roosevelt didn't know what he was talking 
about, but he meant well." 

During a conversation between an educated Egyptian and a 
correspondent the Egyptian declared that Colonel Roosevelt learned 
more about the Assiut American Mission in two days than Lord 
Cromer had learned in twenty-five years. This is typical of the 
impressions the Egyptians have formed of Colonel Roosevelt's 
wonderful power in absorbing the details of all subjects. 

Later the Roosevelt family gave a small private luncheon and 
at night the Colonel attended a banquet given in his honor by the 
Sirdar, Sir Reginald Wingate. 

Colonel Roosevelt delivered an address before the students of 
the University of Egypt on March 28, and made an excellent impres- 
sion. He was cordially received, and at the end of his remarks there 
was much applause. The general opinion was that the speech will 
have a good effect upon the country generally. 

Earlier in the day Colonel Roosevelt received a deputation of 
prominent Syrians, who wished to acknowledge the kindly attitude 
toward their people of the former President during his administra- 
tion, and a committee of the Geographical Society which received 
Livingstone and Stanley, and wished to pay their respects in a 
similar manner to the American. 

The Syrians presented to Mr. Roosevelt an illuminated address 
on silk, written in both Arabic and English. The address was en- 
closed in a solid silver casket, inlaid with gold and bearing an in- 
scription in Arabic. On the outside of the cover, inlaid with gold, 
was formed an olive branch entwined with Turkish and American 
flags. 



CHAPTER XXIV 

TRIUMPHAL JOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE. 

Roosevelt Sails for Naples — Gets Ovation — Visited by King 
Victor Emmanuel — " Long Live Roosevelt " — Visits 
Scene oe Honeymoon in Unique Equipage — Porto 
Maurizio in Gala Array — Admires Venice erom Gondola 
— Emperor Franz Joseph Pays Honor to the Colonel — 
Journey to Budapest — Meets Francis Kossuth — Greeted 
Like a Ruler in Paris. 

J M MEDIATELY on retiring from the Presidency Colonel Roose- 
* velt hurried to Africa, far away from the strenuous political 
life of the preceding years, living in the wild, indifferent to the 
world's thought and interest. Not a few were glad to have him 
thus go, for they thought he had gone beyond the horizon of poli- 
tical life and if he ever returned it would be without a place to 
receive him. But such a welcome has never been given any man. 

At the border of civilization the welcome began, and at every 
step it increased in volume and heartiness. Missions, civil organi- 
zations, rulers and public officials gave him cordial greeting. Courts 
were opened to him, and Kings made him their personal guest. No 
other man has undertaken such a journey ; no American has been so 
honored. 

General Grant was welcomed as he went around the world to 
a degree that made us wonder and excited our pride, but it was 
Grant, the great general as well as ex-President. He received the 
honors with becoming dignity, but he was a silent man, and no 
special and abiding impression was made on the world by him. 

Roosevelt carries with him his characteristic intense energy, 
and speaks with the independence and force which made him the 
most popular and personally the most potent President we have 
ever had. He seemed to throw prudence aside when he began his 

312 



TRIUMPHAL JOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE. 313 

speeches in Egypt. He knew there was a sullen discontent, stimu- 
lated by ambitious and disloyal men, but this was to him a call. 

It seemed as if Mr. Roosevelt was throwing brands into an 
open magazine, but he spoke fearlessly and with such positiveness 
that disloyalty was put to shame. His course was proved to be 
wise for him and for the public good ; he was a master and by the 
force of his personality brought rulers and the ruled into better 
relations. 

At every point the highest honors were extended to him, and 
in every case he proved himself the plain, straightforward man of 
high ideals and strong convictions. 

THE COLONEL SAILS FOR NAPLES. 

The Roosevelts left Alexandria and sailed for Naples in the 
afternoon of March 30, on board the steamer Prinz Heinrich. 

Never was the blue bay of Naples bathed in more glorious sun- 
shine than when the black smoke of the incoming steamer notified 
the crowd of the arrival of the distinguished visitor. 

Notwithstanding the early hour, the water front was lined 
with thousands who wished to -share in the welcome to Colonel 
Roosevelt upon his return to Italy from Africa. 

At his hotel Mr. Roosevelt found awaiting him a messenger 
from Mayor Nathan of Rome, bearing an invitation from the 
municipal authorities, who wished to give a dinner in his honor. 
The former President promptly accepted the invitation and fixed the 
date for the following Wednesday evening. 

Colonel and Mrs. Roosevelt attended services at Christ Church 
in Naples the next morning, leaving for Rome at 2.30 in the after- 
noon. An immense crowd assembled at the station to see them off. 
The private car, which had been placed at their disposal by the 
Italian government, was filled with flowers. 

Although measures had been taken by the police to prevent a 
large gathering inside the railroad station at the time of the arrival 
of the Roosevelt party, many Americans and prominent Italians 
managed to find a way to circumvent these precautions, and the 



314 TRIUMPHAL JOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE. 

station was well filled when the ex-President appeared at the door 
of the ear. 

A detachment of carabineers and a large force of police made 
a pathway from the train to the royal waiting room, the king having 
ordered that the ex-President should receive the same honors as 
members of the royal families when they visit the Italian capital. 

The Colonel was received on his arrival at the Quirinal in the 
most cordial manner by King Victor Emmanuel. This occasion, 
the most important set event since Colonel Roosevelt's landing in 
Europe from his African hunt, afTorded opportunity for another 
exhibition of the admiration of the Italian public for the noted 
American visitor and the popular interest in his every movement. 

The distinguished guest was escorted to the door of the King's 
apartment, which when thrown open revealed His Majesty standing 
with arms outstretched and with a smile upon his face. 

COLONEL ROOSEVELT AND KING VICTOR. 

The monarch and former President shook hands heartily, the 
King inviting his guest to sit at his side. The door of the apart- 
ment was then closed and the two remained in private conversation 
for about three quarters of an hour. 

The Colonel, it is said, expressed the pleasure that he felt in 
again meeting King Victor Emmanuel, following the short inter- 
view which they had a year ago at Messina on board the battleship 
Re Umberto. 

The King responded that he had been waiting with great in- 
terest the return of the former President, as he had desired to hear 
from his own lips the report of his African adventures, which his 
Majesty had followed as closely as possible. 

Following the audience Colonel Roosevelt said that the King 
had been so gracious and flattering both to him personally and to 
his country that he felt that he should not make public anything 
concerning their conversation. 

The formalities of the reception over, Victor Emmanuel per- 
sonally conducted his guest to the hall of the palace, wriere the 



TRIUMPHAL JOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE. 315 

American inspected the hunting trophies of the King's father and 
grandfather. 

When the time came to say good-bye His Majesty invited the 
Colonel to drive with him the next morning. The sovereign ex- 
plained that, though they would dine together at court that night, 
he desired to see and talk with his guest further alone. 

From the Quirinal the returning traveler drove to the Pan- 
theon. Beyond the charm of its ancient memories, this spot is 
sacred as it contains the tombs of Raphael, King Victor Emmanuel 
II., the " father of his country," and King Humbert. 

King Victor Emmanuel called on Colonel Roosevelt at the 
latter's hotel the next morning, and, following a pleasant social chat, 
they motored to the barracks of the Cuirassiers, where they wit- 
nessed a series of manoeuvres. The ex-President said he had 
never seen a finer body of mounted men. 

THE COLONEL VISITS VICTOR EMMANUEL'S MONUMENT. 

From the barracks the King and his guest motored to the monu- 
ment, in course of construction, to Victor Emmanuel II. Leaving 
the car the two climbed to the top of the collossal structure upon 
which $10,000,000 has been expended thus far. 

In the afternoon, in company with Professor James B. Carter, 
director of the American School of Classical Studies at Rome, the 
ex-President spent considerable time exploring the Capitol Forum. 

Signor Ferra, sovereign grand commander of the Supreme 
Council, Ancient Scottish Rite, with a deputation, called at Roose- 
velt's apartments and conferred upon him a high Masonic title. 
The Colonel delivered a brief speech, in which he expressed grati- 
fication at the honor, and insisted upon the principles of brother- 
hood, liberty and tolerance, which, he said, form the basis of regular 
Free Masonry throughout the world. 

Colonel and Mrs. Roosevelt left for Spezia late on the night of 
April 6 to follow the route taken upon their wedding trip. 

Among those who bade farewell at the station were Count 
Tozzoni, master of ceremonies in the royal household, who repre- 



316 TRIUMPHAL JOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE. 

sented the king; Mayor Nathan and other civic authorities. The 
distinguished American was warmly cheered, and there were many 
cries of " Long live Roosevelt." 

At 8.31 the next morning Colonel Roosevelt, clad in a Rough 
Rider overcoat of khaki, with the insignia of a colonel, alighted 
from a saloon car at the Spezia station, accompanied by his wife. 

The Mayor and sub-prefect who had been awaiting his coming, 
greeted him, and the Colonel accepted the Mayor's carriage in 
which to drive to the Hotel Croce di Malt, while a special, old- 
fashioned three-horse carriage, a replica of that used by the Roose- 
velts twenty-five years ago on their honeymoon, which had been 
made ready for their second honeymoon, conveyed their luggage. 
The old-fashioned vehicle, with mussel bells on the horses' harness, 
afforded a new sight for Spezia and attracted much attention, mak- 
ing it impossible for the Colonel to preserve his incognito. 

THE COLONEL RENEWS OLD ASSOCIATIONS. 

After breakfast in the public dining room of the hotel and a 
visit to the room occupied by Colonel and Mrs. Roosevelt twenty- 
five years ago, Colonel Roosevelt shook hands with all the Ameri- 
cans present and accepted a bouquet for Mrs. Roosevelt. 

Then they drove away in a cloud of dust raised by their ancient 
equipage, while the postilion cracked his whip and the bells jangled 
merrily, awakening to unusual animation the sleepy town. 

People and press of Genoa had manifested the most intense 
interest in the movements of Colonel Roosevelt. His second honey- 
moon journey stirred their romantic natures, and when the news 
spread of his coming, a big crowd hurried to the modest Hotel 
Brittania, where he had engaged quarters, and with cheering and 
the waving of hats greeted the arival of the dust-covered carriage. 

Half an hour after the arrival of Colonel Roosevelt, the prefect 
and the Mayor of Genoa called on him and greeted him in the name 
of the municipality. 

The Colonel visited the Red and White palaces of Genoa, subse- 
quently going driving and visiting the famous Andrea Dona 
Church, whose solemn beauty deeply impressed him. 



TRIUMPHAL JOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE. 317 

The departure of the Roosevelts caused a great outpouring of 
the Genoese, including the municipal authorities, who cordially 
wished him bon voyage. At every station on the road to Porto 
Maurizio crowds stood in the pouring rain and saluted the Colonel. 

Porto Maurizio in gala dress welcomed the ex-President en- 
thusiastically. Mayor Carnetti, with a delegation, formally greeted 
him. Signora Carnetti and several other women greeted Mrs. and 
Miss Roosevelt. 

When Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt arrived, not only was every man, 
woman and child in the town massed about the station or lining the 
streets, but thousands from the neighboring communes had come 
in to add their enthusiasm to that of the townspeople, which already 
was difficult to hold in check. The din of the welcome was almost 
indescribable as the ex-President and his wife emerged from the 
station. After greeting Miss Carew, Mrs. Roosevelt's sister, the 
party started forward for the carriages. A band struck up " Hail 
Columbia," and the crowd cheered lustily. 

HE OPENS A BOULEVARD NAMED IN HIS HONOR. 

The following day the Colonel opened the new boulevard, 
which had been named for him, and accepted honorary citizenship of 
the city of Porto Maurizio, amid a repetition of the popular enthu- 
siasm which marked his arrival. 

While a band played " The Star-Spangled Banner " and most 
of the population of Porto Maurizio shouted " Long live Roose- 
velt!" the former President and his son left Porto Maurizio on 
April 13th for Venice. 

The Colonel and Kermit spent several hours in Venice the fol- 
lowing day, leaving about 2.30 o'clock in the afternoon for Vienna. 
'They enjoyed trips in gondolas on the canals in the city and in- 
spected many of the notable structures and points of interest.' 

Vienna gave Col. Roosevelt a warm welcome. Wherever he 
went, a crowd gathered to see him, while there was constantly a 
crowd outside his hotel. 



318 TRIUMPHAL JOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE. 

As a special mark of his personal esteem the aged Emperor — ■ 
King Francis Joseph of Austria received Colonel Roosevelt in his 
private apartments at the imposing Hof burg Palace instead of in 
the regular audience chamber. 

The monarch, who was attired in an imperial uniform, was 
extremely gracious to the ex-President, and kept him in conversa- 
tion for thirty-five minutes. 

For Colonel Roosevelt the call on the Emperor was only the 
main feature of a very busy day, which began immediately after he 
reached his hotel early that morning with a breakfast with Henry 
White, former American ambassador to France. 

THE COLONEL OCCUPIES THE COURT CARRIAGE. 

The day included an official visit to Count von Aehrenthal, the 
Austro-Hungarian foreign minister, which lasted an hour; a call 
of courtesy upon Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the heir apparent 
to the throne, at Belvidere palace; a visit to the tombs of the Haps- 
burgs, where, under the guidance of a brown-cowled Capucine 
monk, with a lighted taper in his hand, he laid wreaths on the tombs 
of Empress Elizabeth and Crown Prince Rudolph ; a tour of in- 
spection of the Spanish riding school founded by Charles VII and 
the Imperial Hussar barracks; a reception by the Austrian jour- 
nalists and a gala dinner given in his honor at the Foreign Office at 
night by Count von Aehrenthal. Yet. after the long day, when 
Colonel Roosevelt returned to his hotel, he mounted the stairs two 
at a time. 

The Colonel used the imperial court carriage placed at his 
disposal by Emperor Francis Joseph until his official calls had ended. 
Then he discarded it for a speedier vehicle — the automobile. 

The Emperor's dinner at the Imperial Palace at Schoenbrunn 
constituted the concluding official function of the Colonel's visit to 
the Austrian capital. 

As the hour of the dinner was set for 6 o'clock, the Colonel and 
Kermit, in evening dress, left the hotel in a court carriage a half 
hour earlier. Arriving at the entrance of the palace, a court official 
met and escorted them up the broad flight oi stairs. 



TRIUMPHAL JOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE. 319 

As the ex-President and his son reached the threshold, the 
doors opposite were thrown open and the Emperor, wearing the 
uniform of a field marshal, advanced to meet the guest of the 
evening. 

After greetings, the Colonel presented Kermit, and in a few 
minutes the Emperor, with the ex-President on his left, led the way 
through several spacious apartments to what is called the " small 
gallery " — a white apartment where small court dinners usually are 
given. Thirty-five additional guests sat down to the table. 

With the exception of the Americans all the guests were in full 
court uniform. Colonel Roosevelt sat at the Emperor's right and 
Ambassador Kerens at his left. Throughout the dinner the 
band of the 32d Infantry played in a gallery, principally selections 
from Strauss. The table service was of silver and white and gold 
china, with the imperial eagle in gold on the borders. 

BANQUET FORMALITIES DISPENSED WITH. 

Still following the ceremonial of private dinners, as distin- 
guished from gala and state banquets, no formal toasts were given. 
The dinner occupied precisely one hour, and upon arising from the 
table the party returned to the Mirror Room, where what is known 
as the " Cercle " followed, during which the Emperor personally 
made the round of his guests. His leave-taking of the former 
President and his son was exceedingly cordial. 

From the palace Colonel Roosevelt and Kermit drove direct to 
the Imperial Opera, where they occupied the court box for a short 
time, during the second act of the " Barber of Seville." The house 
was crowded in anticipation of the Colonel's presence, and he was 
given a hearty reception. 

They drove from the opera to the American Embassy, where 
an informal reception to the American colony had been arranged, 
so that they might meet the ex-President. Mr. Roosevelt left for 
Budapest the following morning, a special car having been placed at 
his service. 

The train for Budapest arrived at 9 o'clock in the evening. 



320 TRIUMPHAL JOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE. 

Rain was falling, but, in response to the Mayor's appeal, the towns- 
folk turned out by the thousands. Within the station itself the 
crowd swarmed everywhere, and as the train came in the officials 
could hardly clear the track. Scores of men and boys climbed on 
to the roofs of the cars. A fervent welcome was extended by the 
Mayor, and Colonel Roosevelt, wearing a cavalry colonel's coat and 
a black felt hat, made an eloquent reply. 

The most notable event in the program was the visit to the 
House of Parliament. The legislative body, having been dissolved, 
was not in session, but the Interparliamentary Peace Congress was, 
and the two Premiers of the dual empire were there to receive the 
former President. 

THE COLONEL VISITS THE HOME OF KOSSUTH. 

From the parliamentary buildings, Colonel Roosevelt went to 
the home of Kossuth. The Hungarian patriot received the Ameri- 
can visitor cordially and the conversation turned almost immediately 
upon the progress which had been made by Hungary since 1848.. 
Kossuth showed his visitor pictures and busts of his illustrious 
father, as well as various mementoes which are preserved with re- 
verence by the family of the greatest of all Hungary's famous men. 
The Colonel and Kermit left Budapest on the night of April 19 
for Paris. 

No reigning sovereign ever received a more enthusiastic wel- 
come to Paris than did Theodore Roosevelt. He reached Paris on 
April 21, and was greeted by the representatives of the President 
of the Republic and the Cabinet, American Ambassador Bacon, M. 
Jusserand, the French Ambassador at Washington, and a great 
concourse of people, which the cordon of troops surrounding the 
railway station had difficulty in holding in check. 

After luncheon at the American embassy, the Colonel called 
upon President Fallieres and Foreign Minister Pichon, who imme- 
diately afterward paid return visits to the embassy. 

Part of the afternoon was devoted to private engagements, 
and in the evening the ex-President was given an ovation at the 



TRIUMPHAL TOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE. 321 

Comedie Francaise, where he made his first real public utterance in 
Paris, occupying the presidential box, which had been placed at his 
disposal by M. Fallieres. 

When Colonel Roosevelt entered the theater between acts, the 
house literally rose to its feet, volleys of applause bursting from the 
boxes, pit and gallery. For a full minute the Colonel made no 
response, but as the demonstration continued he came forward and 
bowed his acknowledgments. 

At the end of each act, when Mounet-Sully, who played the title 
role, and the other performers responded, they advanced, as is cus- 
tomary when royalty is present, bowing profoundly in the direction 
of the ex-President before turning to the audience. This seemed 
only to give additional pleasure to the audience, which, in turn, each 
time gave a fresh round of applause for Mr. Roosevelt. 

The Colonel began his programme the next day with a visit lo 
the tomb of Napoleon in the Palais des Invalides. 

THE COLONEL DINED AT THE ELYSEE PALACE. 

President and Mine. Fallieres gave a gala dinner that night of 
104 covers at the Elysee Palace in honor of the Colonel. The entire 
palace was brilliantly illuminated and the Republican Guard lined 
the stairways. 

In proposing Colonel Roosevelt's health President Fallieres 
said : " I cannot allow this dinner to terminate without seizing the 
occasion to offer a toast to Theodore Roosevelt — an illustrious man 
who is at the same time a great citizen, a great friend of France and 
a great friend of peace. I lift my glass also in honor of Mrs. 
Roosevelt, to whom goes out the homage of our respectful sympathy. 
I congratulate myself on being able to tell our guests how happy we 
are to receive and fete them." 

Colonel Roosevelt replied in French, saying he was profoundly 
touched by the words of President Fallieres. 

From noon until midnight on the third day of his arrival Colonel 

Roosevelt was the guest of intellectual Paris, participating as a 

member at a session of the French Academy, delivering a lecture on 

" Citizenship in a Republic," at the Sorbonne. 
21— T.K. 



322 TRIUMPHAL TOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE. 

Colonel Roosevelt's reception at the French institute and that 
at the Sorbonne were equally impressive, but in a different way. 
At the former he was introduced merely as a member and he took a 
seat among his distinguished confreres, most of whom have grown 
old in the service of science. 

After listening to the words of M. Boutroux, the president of 
the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, who spoke eloquently 
of American ideals and character, of which he said, Theodore Roose- 
velt was the best exponent, the former President of the United States 
replied in French, his utterances arousing his venerable colleagues 
to unwonted applause. 

At the Sorbonne no attempt was made to restrain the demon- 
strations. The facade bristled with American and French flags, 
and fully 25,000 persons packed the streets and acclaimed Colonel 
Roosevelt on his arrival. Within the building enthusiasm was un- 
bounded, the vast crowd in the amphitheatre interrupting again and 
again with storms of applause as the speaker defined the duties of 
individual citizenship in a republic, scorning the sluggards, synics 
and idle rich, and preaching the gospel of work, character and the 
strenuous life. 

HE DEFINES HIS ATTITUDE ON HUMAN RIGHTS. 

Several times he interjected observations in French, and after 
he had defined his attitude on the subject of human rights and pro- 
perty rights, he repeated this in French, saying that it constituted 
the crux of what he had to say, and he desired every one to under- 
stand him. 

The newspapers of all shades of opinoin rang with approval 
of the doctrines of civic morality expounded by the ex-President. 

The " Temps " declared that the impression produced was all 
the greater because Mr. Roosevelt did not present theories that he 
conceived, but experiences that he lived. It found many lessons 
therein for France, and concluded with an appeal to France to take 
" the advice of an honest mail whose deeds and life during thirty 
years qualify him to speak." 



TRIUMPHAL JOURNEY THROUGH EUROPE. .",23 

The "Journal Debats" said : " Roosevelt's simple and energetic 
language is that of Hercules, armed not with a club, but a broom 
at the door of the Augean stable." 

" Liberte," under the caption of " A Magnificent Lesson," 
said : " We have few men in France with energy equal to Mr. 
Roosevelt's, but thousands upon thousands who think as he does." 

The " Paris Journal" said: " No nobler lesson of civic duty 
ever fell from human lips," 

Colonel Roosevelt passed a comparatively quiet Sunday in Paris. 
Accompanied by Ambassador Bacon in the morning, he attended 
service in the American church in the Rue de Berri. Mrs. Roose- 
velt, accompanied by Kermit and Miss Ethel, attended the American 
church in Avenue de l'Alma. 

THE COLONEL AND MRS. ROOSEVELT ATTEND* A LUNCHEON. 

The Colonel and Mrs. Roosevelt lunched with Ambassador and 
Mme. Jusserand. In the afternoon there was an automobile trip 
to St. Germain, where Colonel Roosevelt visited the chateau of 
Henry IV. In the evening the Roosevelts dined with Ambassador 
and Mrs. Bacon at the American embassy. 

Colonel Roosevelt's popularity grew amazingly as his visit to 
Paris drew towards its close. His reception Monday night at the 
Opera, where a gala performance of " Samson and Delilah " had 
been arranged in his honor, was a remarkable and spontaneous 
tribute of a brilliant assembly to a man after the true Parisian's 
heart. 

The events of April were a source of genuine delight to the 
formei President, particularly the mimic warfare on the field of 
Vincennes. The booming of cannon, the rattling of mitralleuses, 
and the prancing of gallant steeds — particularly the one he him- 
self rode — appeared to fill his soul with delight. "There was one 
thing I absolutely had to see here," said the Colonel, "before I 
went to Germany, and that was the French army." 

Colonel Roosevelt's visit in Paris during which he was 
showered with honors, terminated the following day. 



CHAPTER XXV 

COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S SPEECH IN PARIS ON CITIZEN- 
SHIP IN A REPUBLIC. 

COLONEL ROOSEVELT on April 23 electrified France with 
one of the most forceful speeches he has ever spoken. 

What Mr. Roosevelt said was interrupted again and again with 
outbursts of applause. His speech was given over to defining the 
duties of individual citzenship in a republic. He scorned the 
sluggards, the cynics and the idle rich. 

He preached the gospel of work, of character and of the strenu- 
ous life. He defined his attitude on the subject of human rights 
and made clear his position in respect to the moneyed interests. 
He commended the qualities of courage, honesty, sincerity and 
common sense and said these qualities rather than genius were 
essential. He made clear his belief that republican institutions 
are still on trial, both in France and America. 

His address delivered in the Sorbonne, Paris, is as follows : 

" Strange and impressive associations rise in the mind of a man from the 
New World who speaks before this august body in this ancient institution of 
learning. Before his eyes pass the shadows of mighty kings and warlike 
nobles, of great masters of law and theology; through the shining dust of the 
dead centuries he sees crowded figures that tell of the power and learning and 
splendor of times gone by; and he sees also the innumerable host of humble 
students to whom clerkship meant emancipation, to whom it was well-nigh the 
only outlet from the dark thraldom of the Middle Ages. 

" This was the most famous university of mediaeval Europe at a time 
when no one dreamed that there was a New World to discover. Its services 
to the cause of human knowledge already stretched far back into the remote 
past at the time when my forefathers, three centuries ago, were among the 
sparse bands of traders, plowmen, woodchoppers and fisher folk who, in hard 
struggle with the iron unfriendliness of the Indian-haunted land, were laying 
the foundations of what has now become the giant republic of the West. 

" The pioneer days pass ; the stump-dotted clearings expand into vast 
stretches of fertile farm land ; the stockaded clusters of log cabins change into 
towns ; the hunters of game, the tillers of the soil, the men who wander all 
their lives long through the wilderness as the heralds and harbingers of an 
oncoming civilization, themselves vanish before the civilization for which they 
have prepared the way. 

324 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S PARIS SPEECH. 325 

" The children of their successors and supplanters, and then their children 
and children's children, change and develop with extraordinary rapidity. The 
conditions accentuate vices and virtues, energy and ruthlessness, all the good 
qualities and all the defects of an intense individualism, self-reliant, self- 
centered, far more conscious of its rights than of its duties, and blind to its 
own shortcomings. 

" To the hard materialism of the frontier days succeeds the hard material- 
ism of an industrialism even more intense and absorbing than that of the older 
nations ; although these themselves have likewise already entered on the age of 
a complex and predominantly industrial civilization. 

" It is for us of the New World to sit at the feet of the Gamaliel of the 
Old ; then, if we have the right stuff in us, we can show that Paul in his turn 
can become a teacher as well as a scholar. 

" To-day I shall speak to you on the subject of individual citizenship, the 
one subject of vital importance to you, my hearers, and to me and my country- 
men, because you and we are citizens of great democratic republics. A 
democratic republic such as each of ours — an effort to realize in its full sense 
government by, of, and for the people — represents the most gigantic of all 
possible social experiments, the one fraught with greatest possibilities alike for 
good and for evil. 

" With you here and with us in my own home, in the long run, success or 
failure will be conditioned upon the way in which the average man, the average 
woman, does his or her duty first in the ordinary, every-day affairs of life and 
next in those great occasional crises which call for the heroic virtues. 

GOOD CITIZENSHIP SUCCESS OF A REPUBLIC. 

" The average citizen must be a good citizen if our republics* are to suc- 
ceed. The stream will not permanently rise higher thau the main source ; 
and the main source of national power and national greatness is found in the 
average citizenship of the nation. Therefore it behooves us to do our best to 
see that the standard of the average citizen is kept high ; and the average 
cannot be kept high unless the standard of the leaders is very much higher. 

"It is well if a large proportion of the leaders in any republic, in any 
democracy, are drawn from the classes represented in this audience to-day; 
but only provided that those classes possess the gifts of sympathy with plain 
people and of devotion to great ideals. You and those like you have received 
special advantages; you have all of you had the opportunity for mental train- 
ing; many of you have had leisure; most of you have had a chance for the 
enjoyment of life far greater than comes to the majority of your fellows. To 
you and your kind much has been given, and from you much should be ex- 
pected. 

" Let the man of learning, the man of lettered leisure, beware of that 
queer and cheap temptation to pose to himself and to others as the cynic, as 
the man who has outgrown emotions and beliefs, the man to whom good and 
evil are as one. The poorest way to face life is to face it with a sneer. 

" It is not the critic who counts ; not the man who points out how the 
Strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. 

" The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face k 



326 COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S PARIS SPEECH. 

marred by dust and sweat anl blood ; who strives vafiantly ; who errs, and 
comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and 
shortcoming ; but who does actually strive to do the deeds ; who knows the 
great enthusiasm, the great devotions ; who spends himself in a worthy cause ; 
who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at 
the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall 
never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat. 

" Shame on the man of cultivated taste who permits refinement to develop 
in a fastidiousness that unfits him for doing the rough work of a workaday 
world. Among the free people who govern themselves there is only a small 
field of usefulness open for the men of cloistered life who shrink from contact 
with their fellows. Still less room is there for those who deride or slight what 
is done by those who actually bear the brunt of the day; nor yet for those 
others who always profess that they would like to take action. If only the 
conditions of life were not what they actually are. 

" The man who does nothing cuts the same sordid figure in the pages of 
history, whether he be cynic, or fop, or voluptuary. There is little use for the 
being whose tepid soul knows nothing of the great and generous emotion, ol 
the high pride, the stern belief, the lofty enthusiasm of the men who quell the 
storm and ride the thunder. 

GOOD CHARACTER A PRIMARY ESSENTIAL. 

" There is need of a sound body, and even more need of a sound mind. 
But above mind and above body stands character — the sum of those qualities 
which we mean when we speak of a man's force and courage, of his good faith 
and sense of honor. 

" Self-restraint, self-mastery, common-sense, the power of accepting indi- 
vidual responsibility and yet of acting in conjunction with others, courage and 
resolution — these are the qualities which mark a masterful people. 

" I pay all homage to intellect, and to elaborate and specialized training 
of the intellect; and yet I know I shall have the assent of all of you present 
when I add that more important still are the commonplace, every-day qualities 
and virtues. 

" Such ordinary, every-day qualities include the will and the power to work, 
to fight at need, and to have plenty of healthy children. There are a few 
people in every country so born that they can lead lives of leisure. These fill 
a useful function if they make it evident that leisure does not mean idleness. 
But the average man must earn his own livelihood. He should be trained to 
do so, and should be trained to feel that he occupies a contemptible position 
if he does not do so ; that he is not an object of envy if he is idle, at whichever 
end of the social scale he stands, but an object of contempt, an object of 
derision. 

" In the next place, the good man should be both a strong and a brave 
man ; that is, he should be able to fight, he should be able to serve His country 
as a soldier if the need arises. There are well-meaning philosophers who 
declaim against the unrighteousness of war. They are right only if they lay 
all their emphasis upon the unrighteousness. War is a dreadful thing, and 
unjust war is a crime against humanity. But it is such a crime because it is 
unjust, not because it is war. 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S PARIS SPEECH. 327 

" The choice must ever be in favor of righteousness, and this whethei 
the peace or whether the alternative be war. The question must not be 
merely, Is there to be peace or war? The question must be, Is the right to 
prevail? Are the great laws of righteousness once more to be fulfilled? And 
the answer from a strong and virile people must be ' Yes,' whatever the cost. 

"Finally, even more important than ab/lity to work, even more important 
than ability to fight at need, is it to remember that the chief of blessings for 
any nation is that it shall leave its seed to inherit the land. It was the crown 
of blessing in Biblical times; and it is the crown of blessings now. The 
greatest of all curses is the curse of sterlity, and the severest of all condemna- 
tions should be visited upon wilful sterility. 

" The first essential in any civilization is that the man and the woman 
shall be father and mother of healthy children, so that the race shall increase 
and not decrease. If this is not so, if through no fault of the society there 
is failure to increase, it is a great misfortune. If the failure is due to de- 
liberate and wilful fault, then it is not merely a misfortune, it is one of those 
crimes of ease and self-indulgence, of shrinking from pain and effort and risk, 
which in the long run Nature punishes more heavily than any other. 

UNIVERSAL EMANCIPATION. 

" If we of the great republic, if we, the free people who claim to have 
emancipated ourselves from the thraldom of wrong and error, bring down on 
our heads the curse that comes upon the wilfully barren, then it will be an idle 
waste of breath to prattle of our achievements, to boast of all that we have 
done. 

" No refinement of life, no delicacy of taste, no material progress, no 
sordid heaping up of riches, no sensuous development of art and literature, 
can in any way compensate for the loss of the great fundamental virtues; and 
of these great fundamental virtues, the greatest is the race's power to per- 
petuate the race. 

" Nevertheless, while laying all stress on this point, while not merely 
acknowledging but insisting upon the fact that there must be a basis of material 
well-being for the individual as for the nation, let us with equal emphasis 
insist that this material well-being represents nothing but the foundation, and 
that the foundation, though indispensable, is worthless unless upon it is raised 
the superstructure of a higher life. 

" That is why I decline to recognize the mere multi-millionaire, the man 
of mere wealth, as an asset of value to any country; and especially as not an 
asset to my own country. If he has earned or uses his wealth in a way that 
makes him of real benefit, of real use — and such is often the case — why then 
he does become an asset of worth. 

" But it is the way in which it has been earned or used, and not the mere 
fact of wealth, that entitles him to the credit. There is need in business, as in 
most other forms of human activity, of the great guiding intelligence. Their 
places cannot be supplied by any number of lesser intelligences. But we must 
not transfer our admiration to the reward instead of to the deed rewarded. 

" It is a bad thing for a nation to raise and to admire a false standard of 
success ; and there can be no falser standard than that set by the deification of 
material well-being in and for itself. 



328 COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S PARIS SPEECH. 

" But the man who, having far surpassed the limit of providing for the 
wants, both of body and mind, of himself and of those depending upon him, 
then piles up a great fortune, for the acquisition or retention of which he 
returns no corresponding benefit to the nation as a whole, should himeslf be 
made to feel that, so far from being a desirable, he is an unworthy, citizen of 
the community. 

" So it is with the orator. It is highly desirable that a leader of opinion 
in a democracy should be able to state his views clearly and convincingly. But 
all that the oratory can do of value to the community is to enable the man thus 
to explain himself; if it makes the orator to persuade his hearers to put false 
values on things, it merely makes him a power for mischief. 

" The phrase-maker, the phrase-monger, the ready talker, however great 
his power, whose speech does not make for courage, sobriety, and right under- 
standing, is simply a noxious element in the body politic, and it speaks ill for 
the public if he has influence over them. 

" Of course all that I say of the orator applies with even greater force to 
the orator's latter-day and more influential brother, the journalist. The power 
of the journalist is great, but he is entitled neither to respect nor admiration 
because of that power unless it is used aright. He can do, and he often does, 
great good. He can do, and he often does, infinite mischief. All journalists, 
all writers, for the very reason that they appreciate the vast possibilities of 
their profession, should bear testimony against those who deeply discredit it. 

JOURNALISTIC MISTAKES. 

" Offences against taste and morals, which are bad enough in a private 
citizen, are infinitely worse if made into instruments for debauching the com- 
munity through a newspaper. Mendacity, slander, sensationalism, inanity, 
vapid triviality, all are potent factors for the debauchery of the public mind 
and conscience. The excuse advanced for vicious writing, that the public 
demands it and that the demand must be supplied, can no more be admitted 
than if it were advanced by the purveyors of food who sell poisonous adultera- 
tions. 

" In short, the good citizen in a republic must realize that he ought to 
possess two sets of qualities, and that neither avails without the other. He 
must have those qualities which make for efficiency ; and he must also have 
those qualities which direct the efficiency into channels for the public good. 

" He is useless if he is inefficient. There is nothing to be done with that 
type of citizen of whom all that can be said is that he is harmless. Virtue 
which is dependent upon a sluggish circulation is not impressive. There is 
little place in active life for the timid good man. The man who is saved by 
weakness from robust wickedness is likewise rendered immune from the ro- 
buster virtues. 

" The good citizen in a republic must, first of all, be able to hold his own. 
He is no good citizen unless he has the ability which will make him work hard 
and which at need will make him fight hard. The good citizen is not a good 
citizen unless he is an efficient citizen. 

" The homely virtues of the household, the ordinary workaday virtues 
which make the woman a good housewife and housemother, which make the 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S PARIS SPEECH. 329 

man a hard worker, a good husband and father, a good soldier at need, stand 
at the bottom of character. 

" Good citizenship is not good citizenship only in the home. There remain 
the duties of the individual in relation to the State, and these duties are none 
too easy under the conditions which exist where the effort is made to carry on 
free government in a complex, industrial civilization. Perhaps the most im- 
portant thing the ordinary citizen, and, above all, the leader of ordinary citizens, 
has to remember in political life is that he must not be a sheer doctrinaire. 

" Woe to the empty phrase-maker, to the empty Idealist, who, instead of 
making ready the ground for the man of action turns against him when he 
appears and hampers him as he does the work ! We should abhor the so-called 
' practical ' men whose practicality assumes the shape of that peculiar baseness 
which finds its expression in disbelief in morality and decency, in disregard of 
high standards of living and conduct. 

" But only less desirable as a citizen is his nominal opponent and real ally, 
the man of fantastic vision who makes the impossible better forever the enemy 
of the possible good. 

" Individual initiative, so far from being discouraged, should be stimu- 
lated ; and yet we should remember that, as society develops and grows more 
complex, we continually find that things which once it was desirable to leave 
to individual initiative can, under the changed conditions, be performed with 
better results by common effort. 

" Much of the discussion about socialism and individualism is entirely 
pointless, because of failure to agree on terminology. I am a strong indivi- 
dualist by personal habit, inheritance, and conviction ; but it is mere common 
sense to recognize that the State, the community, the citizens acting together, 
can do a number of things better than if they were left to individual action. 

JUSTICE AND EQUALITY FOR ALL. 

" We ought to go with any man in the effort to bring about justice and 
the equality of opportunity, to turn the tool user more and more into the tool 
owner, to shift burdens so that they can be more equitably borne. The dead- 
ening effect on any race of the adoption of a logical and extreme socialistic 
system could not be overstated ; it would spell sheer destruction. 

" But we should not take part in acting a lie any more than in telling a lie. 
We should not say that men are equal where they are not equal, nor proceed 
upon the assumption that there is an equality where it does not exist; but we 
should strive to bring about a measurable equality, at least to the extent of 
preventing the inequality which is due to force or fraud. 

" There should, so far as possible, be equality of opportunity to render 
service; but just so long as there is inequality of service there should and must 
be inequality of reward. The reward must go to the man who does his work 
well. 

" Let us try to level up, but let us beware of the evil of leveling down. If 
a man stumbles, it is a good thing to help him to his feet. But if a man lies 
down, it is a waste of time to try to carry him. 

" There are plenty of men calling themselves Socialists with whom, up to 
a time point, it is quite possible to work. If the next step is one which both 



330 COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S PARIS SPEECH. 

we and they wish to take, why, of course, take it, without any regard to the 
fact that our views as to the tenth step may differ. But, on the other hand,, 
keep clearly in mind that, though it has been worth while to take the step, this 
does not in the least mean that it may not be highly disadvantageous to take 
the next. 

" The good citizen will demand liberty for himself, and he will see to it 
that others receive the liberty which he thus claims as his own. Probably the 
best test of true love of liberty in any country is the way in which minorities 
are treated in religion and opinion, but complete liberty for each man to lead 
his life as he desires, provided only that in so doing he does not wrong his 
neighbor. 

" There is no greater need to-day than the need to keep ever in mind the 
fact that the cleavage between right and wrong, between good citizenship and 
bad citizenship, runs at right angles to, and not parallel with, the lines of 
cleavage between class and class, between occupation and occupation. Ruin 
looks us in the face if we judge a man by his position instead of judging him by 
his conduct in that position. 

" Of one man in especial, beyond any one else, the citizens of a republic 
should beware, and that is of the man who appeals to them to support him on 
the ground that he is hostile to other citizens of the republic, that he will obtain 
for those who elect him, in one shape or another, profit at the expense of other 
citizens of the republic. 

" If a public man tries to get your vote by saying that he will do some- 
thing wrong in your interest, you can be absolutely certain that if ever it 
becomes worth his while he will do something wrong against your interest. 

" I believe that a man must be a good patriot before he can be, and as the 
only possible way of being, a good citizen of the world. Experience teaches 
us that the average man who protests that his international feeling swamps his 
national feeling, that he does not care for his country because he cares so much 
for mankind, in actual practice proves himself the foe of mankind; that the 
man who says that he does not care to be a citizen of any one country, because 
he is a citizen of the world, is in very fact usually an exceedingly undesirable 
citizen of whatever corner of the world he happens at the moment to be in. 

" I do not for one moment admit that political morality is different from 
private morality, that a promise made on the stump differs from a promise 
made in private life. I do not for one moment admit that a man should act 
deceitfully as a public servant in his dealings with other nations, any more 
than that he should act deceitfully in his dealings as a private citizen with other 
private citizens. I do not for one moment admit that a nation should treat 
other nations in a different spirit from that in which an honorable man would 
treat other men." 



CHAPTER XXVI 

DISTINGUISHED MARKS OF HONOR. 

Roosevelt Feted by King of Belgium — Greeted as Kin 
by the Dutch — Guest at Queen's Palace — Visits 
Amsterdam and the Hague — Welcomed by Crown 
Prince Christian of Denmark — Warmly Received by 
the King and Queen of Norway. 

TN his transcontinental game, which increased in fervor and ex- 
* citement as he progressed, Colonel Roosevelt drew his third 
king, looking happier, if possible, than when Italy's ruler and 
Austria's Emperor were added to his score of popularity abroad. 

The ex-President met King Albert, of Belgium, on April 28, 
and they exchanged cordial greetings, later driving together from 
the Brussels exposition to Laaken Palace and spending an hour 
in the gardens. 

The Belgian people gave Colonel and Mrs. Roosevelt and 
their children a warm welcome on their arrival in Brussels from 
Paris at noon. Not since the Coronation of King Albert had the 
city seen such crowds as those who turned out to welcome the 
distinguished American. After luncheon at the American em- 
bassy and a reception for the American colony, the Colonel visited 
the exposition, and his appearance there was marked by a double 
demonstration for himself and the king. 

The Salle des Fetes, where the ex-President spoke, was 
packed to the doors, and several thousand persons were unable 
to gain admission. While the Colonel waited in the reception 
room in the rear of the stage the young king arrived by the side 
entrance. 

The king strode forward and no introductions were necessary, 
as they had met in the United States when the king was a crown 
prince. After a warm handshake they talked for several minutes 
in low tones. He told Mr. Roosevelt how glad he was to welcome 
him to Belgium. 

331 



332 DISTINGUISHED MARKS OF HONOR. 

King Albert then with a profound bow, retired and entered 
the hall, taking his place on a gilded, red cushioned chair immedi- 
ately below the front of the stage. The crowd applauded lustily 
as the king entered but the outburst was mild compared with the 
roar which greeted the colonel a moment later. 

A dinner was given in the evening by the king, but as the 
court was still in semi-mourning, the ladies wore black gowns. 
The ex-President sat beside the queen, while Mrs. Roosevelt occu- 
pied the chair next the king. The others present included the 
members of the royal family and high officials. The Roosevelts 
left early the next morning for Holland. 

The people of the Netherlands turned out and welcomed the 
Roosevelts as though they were home folks. It was as though 
the former President were traveling through his own country. At 
every station on the route from Roosendaal to Arnhem, cheering 
crowds were met and everybody wanted a speech. 

ENTHUSIASTIC SERIES OF DEMONSTATIONS. 

This enthusiastic series of demonstrations continued all the 
way to Amsterdam, where the Roosevelts arrived in the evening. 

Occasionally Colonel Roosevelt responded to the clamor for a 
speech, but in most instances he acknowledged the greetings only 
by appearing on the rear platform of his car and bowing, smiling 
and waving his hand. At Hertogenbosch he spoke briefly and 
greatly pleased his auditors by saying : " I am visiting the country 
from which my people came three centuries ago." 

When the Roosevelt party arrived at the frontier station of 
Poosendaal, they were met by a special train sent at the direct 
request of Queen Wilhelmina. A distinguished party of officials 
and military men formed the reception committee. 

A day of much travel had been mapped out for the former 
President. From the border the special train started for Het Loo, 
nearly eighty miles west of The Hague, where Queen Wilhelmina 
awaited the nation's guest at the famous castle. 

At Het Loo, Colonel Roosevelt was received in the main hall 
of the palace by the Queen and Prince Henry. Their welcome 



DISTINGUISHED MARKS OF HONOR. 333 

was so cordial as to seem entirely personal, formality being left in 
the background, to be supplied by the troops and retainers in and 
about the palace. Several hours were spent at the palace. 

Colonel Roosevelt was awakened the following morning by 
the singing of Holland's National Hymn by bands of cadets who 
marched through the square overlooking the apartments of the 
Roosevelt party. 

The singers were acclaiming the birthday of the Princess 
Juliana Louise Emma Marie Wilhelmina. The royal baby was 
one year old tLat day and the capital made a holiday of the anni- 
versary. A reception by the Queen Mother was one of the chief 
features on Colonel Roosevelt's program for the day. 

Before the meeting with the Queen Mother the Roosevelt 
party visited the house in the woods where the first peace meeting 
was held. 

THE QUEEN MOTHER DISPLAYS MUCH INTEREST. 

The Queen mother displayed much interest in Colonel Roose- 
velt's Dutch ancestry. She spoke, too, of his address of the 
preceding day in which he quoted an old Dutch nursery rhyme. 
She mentioned the verses and displayed her interest in such mod- 
ern folklore by repeating to him other rhymes which she had 
crooned over the royal cradle as a young mother. 

Colonel Roosevelt remained half an hour in conversation with 
the queen mother, who then received Mrs. Roosevelt, Miss Ethel 
and Kermit. 

The next day was given over to an inspection of the mag- 
nificent display of tulips, which were then in perfection, and of 
Dutch painting. 

The Colonel was presented with a silver model of the Half 
Moon at the National Tulip Show at Haarlem by M. Kregage, say- 
ing, "You may call it the Half Moon or the Mayflower, just as 
you like. " 

In a brief address, M. Krelage described the exhibition and the 
tulip industry, pointing out that Holland shipped to America 8,200,- 
000 pounds of bulbs yearly. 



334 DISTINGUISHED MARKS OF HONOR. 

In replying, Colonel Roosevelt said : " Americans always are 
especially struck in Holland by the way in which you, one of the 
hardest working peoples of all people, contrive to add beauty and 
enjoyment to your lives. We in America have in the past had to 
work so hard that we have not always been able to pay as much 
attention as you to the things that tend to enjoyment, and, if one 
or the other must be sacrificed, we think that enjoyment should be 
sacrificed to work, but more and more we are growing to realize 
that beauty and enjoyment can be combined with work. Ameri- 
cans come here to see how you are able to combine them." 

After an inspection of the wonderful gardens, the party par- 
took of luncheon and paid a visit to the fine gallery of the town 
hall, groups of girls pelting them with flowers at the entrance. 
Colonel Roosevelt signed his name in the Golden Book. 

From Harlaam the automobiles carried them to Amsterdam. 
They were received by the Burgomasters at the Ryks Museum. 
Probably 5,000 persons were waiting in the public square, and set 
up a hearty cheer on the arrival of the American visitors. 

THE COLONEL AND FAMILY LEAVE FOR COPENHAGEN. 

After dining with Secretary Hibben in Amsterdam the Colo- 
nel and his family boarded the train, which left at 9 o'clock for 
Copenhagen. 

The Stars and Stripes floated above the royal palaces on May 
2, for the first time in the history of Denmark, and former Presi- 
dent Roosevelt, in the absence of King Frederick in Southern 
France, was the guest of Crown Prince Christian. 

With the arrival of Mr. Roosevelt, breezy democracy struck 
the Danish court with a rush, upon the heels of circumstance. 
When he arrived he found Crown Prince Christian awaiting him 
at the station, with thousands standing in the streets nearby. 

The Prince drove with the Colonel to one of the palaces, 
which was placed at the disposal of the distinguished American 
and his party. 

The Prince was delighted at the informal nature of the meet- 
ing between himself and the Colonel. The Danish court is 



DISTINGUISHED MARKS OF HONOR. 335 

noted for its formality, but his missing baggage that had gone 
astray seemed to press heavily on Roosevelt's mind. No sooner 
had he been presented to the crown prince than he took the 
prince's arm and said : " I want to tell you about my baggage." 
The story was soon told, and it put things at once on a general 
good footing. 

Roosevelt seemed to have established two records at the royal 
palace. The first was his dining there formally in a gray flannel 
suit, and the second consists in the fact that he was the only 
private citizen who ever put up there as a guest. To this had 
been added a guard of honor at the palace. It was whispered that 
some of the older aristocrats were not too well pleased with all this. 

The prince presiding at dinner in the evening as the king's 
representative thanked Roosevelt for coming to that country, and 
proposed his health, which was heartily responded to by those 
around the table, who included the leading personages in the 
kingdom, in court, parliamentary and scholarly life. 

THE COLONEL THANKS THE PRINCE FOR HIS HOSPITALITY. 

The Colonel in reply said he had received a cordial message 
from the king, and thanked the prince for his hospitality. He 
theu proposed a toast to the king and the royal family of Den- 
mark. 

At a reception given by Maurice F. Egan, the American 
minister, at the legation, the former President met the diplomatic 
representatives, the cabinet ministers and many persons prominent 
in the various departments of public activity. By this time the 
missing baggage had been found, and Mr. Roosevelt was thus 
able to array himself in the conventional dress clothes. That 
night Miss Ethel Roosevelt slept in the bedroom that is reserved 
for the queen of England. 

With the crown prince, before dinner, the Colonel visited 
Prince Waldemar and Prince Hans, who is an uncle of the queen 
of England. 

" Perchance 'twill walk again. I'll speak to it, though hell 
itself should gape and bid me hold my peace." 



33(3 JJibllJNUUlMiUJJ MAKKb Vf MUINUK. 

According to Shakespeare these were the words of Hamlet, 
Prince of Denmark, when he learned that his father's ghost was 
walking beneath the walls of Castle Kronberg at Elsinore. 

" I'll speak to it, though hell itself should gape aud bid me 
hold my peace," repeated Theodore Roosevelt, retracing the royal 
slave's footsteps on the walls of the historic Castle of Elsinore. 
Of course, no one knows whether the Colonel had in mind any 
particular person, any critic, any opposing will when he reiterated 
Hamlet's determined words. 

Mr. Roosevelt was immensely interested at Elsinore. He 
listened intently to the relation of the local tradition that Shake- 
speare visited Elsinore with a party of players, and that the idea 
of his great tragedy, " Hamlet," came to him there. The Colonel 
was told, too, that Guildenstern, whom Shakespeare made a 
courtier at the Dauish court, actually lived at Elsinore, and, having 
met Shakespeare there, visited him later in England. 

THE COLONEL VASTLY PLEASED. 

Although vastly pleased with the entertainments, all of which 
were given in the name of King Frederick, although he was in 
South France, Mr. Roosevelt was plainly glad as he coiled up in a 
sleeping car bunk that night, en route for Christiania. His rest in 
a royal bed the preceding night was curtailed by the necessity of 
arising early. 

A crowd was attracted that morning by the unprecedented 
sight of a flag other than Denmark's, the Stars and Stripes, float- 
ing over the royal castle. The crowd cheered Mr. Roosevelt and 
his party as they departed in automobiles for the seventeenth 
century castle of Fredericksborg. 

After inspecting the castle, a perfect example of Dutch Ren- 
aissance architecture, the party visited the Alemhouse, which is 
established in an ancient Carmelite monastery, restored. Mr. and 
Mrs. Roosevelt with gifts rejoiced the hearts of the old women 
living in the cells where dwelt in solitude the monks of old. But 
the Colonel most enjoyed walking the castle ramparts. At Elsi- 



DISTINGUISHED MARKS OF HONOR. 337 

nore the party boarded a steamer for a trip through the sound 
that separates Denmark from Sweden. 

Honors usually accorded only to royalty were paid to Colonel 
Roosevelt by the Danish and Swedish Governments which ordered 
their squadrons of warships to take positions at intervals along 
the Danish coast and to salute the ex-President as he passed on a 
passenger steamer from Helsingor to Copenhagen. The flags on 
the warships were dipped, officers and men stood at attention, and 
the ship bands played American airs as the Roosevelt party 
passed by. 

In an interview given just before his start for Christiania, Mr. 
Roosevelt said that the little nation of Denmark was able to teach 
several lessons from which greater Powers might well profit. The 
Danish system of small holdings and intensive farming, he said, 
was the only answer to the problem of how to make a densely 
populated country self-supporting. The system by which Den- 
mark cares for her aged and infirm is also, he said, a phase of gov- 
ernment that other nations should study. 

A SPLENDID VIEW OF THE COUNTRY. 

Before sailing the Roosevelt's had a splendid view of the 
country. Accompanied by several members of the Cabinet, 
American Ambassador Egan and other officials and friends, they 
motored to the castle of Fredericksborg and visited the National 
Museum. They then went on to Helsingoer, where they were 
luncheon guests of Vice- Admiral DeRichelieu on board the steamer 
Queen Maud. 

Following the luncheon Col. Roosevelt was presented infor- 
mally with two loving cups by the steamship company. The 
loving cups are of Copenhagen ware, one bearing the Danish arms 
and the other the American arms. A representative of the Royal 
Porcelain Works gave the former President four plaques upon 
which were pictured several of the beasts of Africa. 

Col. Roosevelt accepted the plaques graciously, and while 
examining the figure of an elephant looked up suddenly and said 
smilingly : " This is not an African elephant." 

22— T.R. 



338 DISTINGUISHED MARKS OF HONOR. 

(l That is quite true," replied the manager. " These plates 
were made especially. We have no study of African elephants, 
and so used Asiatic." The incident caused a great deal of amuse- 
ment. 

The Roosevelts returned to Copenhagen about 3 o'clock and 
were cheered by large crowds. Going to the palace the Colonel 
devoted two hours to his correspondence. 

A visit to the National Museum was made the occasion of a 
friendly demonstration by the students from the Government 
school. The motor drive was then continued to Helsingoer. The 
Roosevelts were accompanied by a party which occupied six more 
automobiles and included Foreign Minister Schavenius and other s 
of the Cabinet, the burgomaster of Copenhagen and several other 
prominent personages. 

THE VICE-ADMIRAL TOASTS COLONEL ROOSEVELT. 

Vice-Admiral De Richelieu presided at luncheon ou the 
steamer and toasted Mr. Roosevelt. The ex-President in respond- 
ing said that the only thing lacking about the Danish-Americans 
in America was that there was not enough of them. 

Haakon VII, King of Norway, and Queen Maud were the 
first to greet the ex-President on his arrival in Christiania. 
Colonel Roosevelt presented Mrs. Roosevelt, Miss Ethel and 
Kermit, and the party then proceeded to the palace. 

The streets of Christiana were bright with decorations, and 
almost every one was wearing an American flag. A Roosevelt 
march, Roosevelt photographs and compilations of Roosevelt's 
sayings were being sold in the shops and on the highways. 

In the evening the King and Queen gave a dinner at the 
palace in honor of their American guest?. More than 200 of the 
most eminent personages in Norway were present, including 
the Premier and Cabinet Ministers, the leaders of the various 
political parties, literary people, financiers and the representatives 
of the most distinguished Norwegian life. Four State chairs 
were placed at the principal table, and after all the others of the 
company were standing at their places, the King appeared with 



DISTINGUISHED MARKS OF HONOR. 339 

Mrs. Roosevelt on his arm, Colonel Roosevelt following with the 
Queen. 

When the dinner had advanced to the fourth course, the King 
arose, and all the guests stood. " It is with great pleasure," said 
the King, " that I welcome you, Mr. and Mrs. Roosevelt here, in 
the name of the Queen and myself, and extend you our hospitality. 
I do not speak in my name alone, but am convinced that it is in the 
name of all Norwegians. The reception given you to-day will con- 
vince you of the truth of my words. As you know, we are all 
grateful that although your time is so limited you have been able to 
come to Norway. Many Norwegians live in America, and although 
American subjects, they are Norwegians at heart. I feel it such 
and therefore we feel particularly pleased to have this opportunity 
of offering our hospitality to some eminent American citizen. 

THE KING'S RE-ASSURING WORDS. 

" I express the hope that you will get the impression during 
your stay in Christiania that real feelings of true friendship and 
relationship between the United States and Norway exist here, and 
I hope that these feelings will continue for all time. I drink a toast 
to the United States and I drink a toast to the health of Mr. and 
Mrs. Roosevelt." 

The company remained standing while the ex-President re- 
ponded as follows : " It is a particular pleasure for me to be in 
Norway," he said, " and I have been deeply impressed with my 
generous reception. Norwegians have made such good citizens in 
the United States that I once remarked to a group of traveling Nor- 
wegians that I rather grudged it that they had left anybody in Nor- 
way. 

" As your Majesty has said, the Norwegians in America love 
the land of their birth and they love the country of their adoption. 
A man can love his wife all the better if he loves his mother a great 
deal." 

Colonel Roosevelt touched on Norse literature, and spoke of his 
pleasure when, as President, he was able to cable his good wishes 



340 DISTINGUISHED MARKS OF HONOR. 

to a new Norwegian King bearing the old name of Haakon. "And," 
he continued, "it is a fine thing for the country that Haakon and 
Olaf should be the names borne by the ruler of to-day and the ruler 
of to-morrow." 

He turned directly to the King and Queen, and said: " I hope 
that their Majesties, who seem to do all things well, will see to it 
that the small Olaf knows the Heimskringla thoroughly. I drink 
with my whole heart to the health of your Majesties." 

The King and Queen showed Colonel and Mrs. Roosevelt the 
little Prince Olaf that afternoon, and the Colonel, who had been 
telling anecdotes about Seth Bullock, said: I wish Seth Bulloch 
was here to see your small Olaf ; he would be delighted with him." 

While the ex-President was in his room arranging his papers 
and dictating letters the King came in quite informally and asked, 
" Wouldn't you like to have a cup of tea ?" 

THE KING AND THE COLONEL TALK ON MANY SUBJECTS. 

" By George, I would," replied the Colonel. The King rang, 
and for more than an hour the two sat drinking tea and talking on 
a variety of subjects. The King asked many questions and pre- 
sented many of his opinions on matters relative to the United States. 

The Colonel told of some of his ranching experiences and of 
one effective speech he had made in a western mining camp against 
free silver, while Seth Bulloch sat on a platform behind him. He 
spoke for an hour, and not a man interrupted him. Every one in 
the house seemingly was deeply interested. At the conclusion of 
the speech he said to one of his ranching friends : " I think I held 
the audience pretty well." 

" Held the audience well," exclaimed his friend ; " Seth Bul- 
loch, with a six-shooter in each hip, watching the crowd, had given j 
the tip that he'd penetrate the first man who peeped." 

When Mr. Roosevelt arrived in the capital in the afternoon the 
platform of the station was covered with red carpet, and inside the 
building a temporary stand had been erected for the receiving party. 
This was occupied by the King and Queen, with a large suite, all of 



DISTINGUISHED MARKS OF HONOR. 341 

the members of the Cabinet members of Parliament, city and state 
officials, professors of the university and other distinguished mem- 
bers of society. 

As the train drew in and the Colonel stepped down his Majesty 
crossed the platform and, without waiting for an introduction, 
shook hands with the former President. He then presented Mr. 
Roosevelt to the Queen and Mr. Roosevelt presented Mrs. Roosevelt, 
Miss Ethel and Kermit to their Majesties. Greetings exchanged, 
the Queen took the Colonel's arm and the King offered his arm to 
Mrs. Roosevelt, Followed by Miss Ethel and Kermit, they walked 
through the royal waiting room, which was half filled with flowers 
and flags, to the carriages which were in waiting. The party 
drove at once to the palace. 

After a brief stop at the palace the Roosevelts, still accom- 
panied by the King and Queen and a few members of the royal 
household, drove to the American Legation, where they had lunch- 
eon as the guests of American Minister Peirce. The luncheon 
was followed by a reception. 

THE ROOSEVELTS OCCUPY A SPECIAL TRAIN. 

From Kornsjo to the capital the Roosevelts occupied a special 
train sent for them by the Government. The train was in charge of 
Superintendent of State Railways Aas and his staff, who are respon- 
sible for the safe movements of the royal train. The conductor 
wore a broad leather belt bearing the arms of Norway. There 
was special significance in this, as the belt is designed to indicate 
that royalty is traveling. The car used by the Roosevelts was that 
formerly occupied by the Norwegian Cabinet in visiting the King 
of Sweden. 

The trip through the southeast corner of Norway was enlivened 
by frequent demonstrations. At every place along the route the 
school children had been given a partial holiday in order that they 
might see the distinguished American. The train stopped at a few 
stations and steamed slowly past others. In every instance child- 
ren crowded the station platform, and, waving their hats and hand- 



342 DISTINGUISHED MARKS OF HONOR. 

kerchiefs, gave a variety of school yells. The Colonel never failed 
to acknowledge their salutations. When his breakfast was inter- 
rupted by a chorus from the outside he waved his napkin in the best 
of good humor. 

There was a large gathering at Moss, where a stop was made. 
Boys from the high school gave nine short cheers, which drew the 
Colonel to an open window of the car. " That sounds like an 
American college yell," he said. " I wish you and the grown-ups 
good luck." The boys cheered again as the train drew out of the 
station. The train continued to Christiania without further inci- 
dent of note. 



CHAPTER XXVII 

ROOSEVELT FOR WORLD PEACE. 

Delivers Address before Nobel Prize Committee in Chris- 
tians — Compared to a Rushing Human Engine — Visits 
Stockholm — Welcomed by Royalty' — Pays Tribute to 
King Edward. 

FEARING no other nation and entertaining aggressive designs 
upon none, the American people as a whole doubtless approve 
the views expressed by Colonel Roosevelt in the Norway address in 
which he urges the establishment of a great permanent tribunal of 
arbitration, and the formation, among the leading civilized coun- 
tries, of an enduring league of peace. 

Aside from the personality of the speaker, however, their 
interest is largely theoretical and humanitarian. An overwhelming 
majority of the citizens of the United States will agree with him 
and with other prominent publicists in holding that the welfare of 
mankind would be immeasurably enhanced if the expansion of 
armaments could be checked in pursuance of a policy looking toward 
their eventual reduction to minor proportions. 

Yet while both this idea and the idea of settling all interna- 
tional disputes by hearings before a qualified and authoritative court 
are excellent in theory, no method has so far been advanced by 
which the closely packed nations of Europe can be induced to forget 
their racial, political and commercial rivalries ; and American public 
opinion is unquestionably in favor of maintaining an adequate de- 
fensive system for the L'nited States, remote as it is from Europe 
and Asia. 

Colonel Roosevelt, on May 5th, at Christiania, before a most 

distinguished audience, entered upon the most difficult field of 

European politics by delivering an address on "International Peace" 

before the Nobel Prize Committee. 

343 



344 ROOSEVELT FOR WORLD PEACE. 

The Colonel did not mince words and in the conclusion of his 
carefully worked-out thesis, advocated an international agreement 
that would serve to check the growth of armaments, especially naval 
armaments, and the formation by those great Powers honestly bent 
on peace, of a League of Peace, " not only to keep the peace among 
themselves, but to prevent, by force if necessary, its being broken by 
others." 

On leaving the palace, which is situated on the crest of a hill 
which ends Christiania's principal thoroughfare, for the theater, 
the Colonel viewed a remarkable picture below him. The street for 
a quarter of a mile to the theater was packed with thousands who 
were restrained at the curbs by soldiers. 

At intervals of twenty yards were standard bearers supporting- 
silken banners ornamented with Norse symbols and there were also 
heraldic brass standards, thus contributing to the medieval Norman 
scene, which was perfect except for the modern garb of the men 
and women, all of whom displayed in some way the American colors. 

SPEAKS BEFORE THE NORWEGIAN STORTHING. 

King Haakon and Queen Maud were present as well as all the 
members of the Government, who occupied seats on the stage and 
as well as the entire Parliamentary body, among whom was 
Miss Rogstag, the first woman to be elected to the Norwegian 
Storthing. The overture by the orchestra at the opening of the 
session was specially composed by the royal bandmaster, Johann 
Halverson, who dedicated it to the Colonel. The theme embodied 
the Star Spangled Banner, Norse folk songs and melodies. 

What Colonel Roosevelt had to say before the King and Queen 
of Norway and other representative personages constituted the basis 
of the private conversations which he was having with the states- 
men of Europe as the occasion arose concerning the practical possi- 
bilities of collective action by the various Governments for the en- 
forcement of universal peace. 

The Colonel said that it must be borne in mind ever that the 
great end in view was righteousness; and he explained that peace, 



ROOSEVELT FOR WORLD PEACE. 345 

generally good in itself, was never the highest good unless it came 
as the handmaid of righteousness. It became a very evil thing 
when it served merely as a mask for cowardice and sloth or as an 
instrument to further the ends of despotism or anarchy. 

It was the Nobel Prize Committee, the members of which are 
elected by the Norwegian Storthing, that in 1906 conferred upon the 
then President of the United States its medal and money award in 
recognition of his services in bringing to a conclusion the Russo- 
Japanese war. 

The occasion was the feature of Colonel Roosevelt's visit to 
Norway and one of the most notable of his European tour. 

ADDRESS RECEIVED CORDIALLY. 

The Colonel's discourse was made with something of the 
solemnity of a religious service in the largest auditorium of Chris- 
tiania, the National Theater, and in the presence of King Haakon, 
Queen Maud, members of the cabinet and of Parliament, and hund- 
reds of the most progressive and influential personalities of the 
kingdom. 

The address was received cordially and at its conclusion John 
Lund, vice-president of the Nobel Prize Committee, paid a tribute 
to the speaker and to the country from which he came. After re- 
ferring to Norway's interest in America and American affairs Mr. 
Lund said : 

" But it is not Norway alone, but the entire civilized world 
which has reason to be grateful to the United States. Millions 
upon millions from Europe, poor and often down-trodden, but cap- 
able, have found in the new world that happiness and prosperity 
which the old world was unable to afford them. 

" In many ways the United States has reached the goal for 
which Europe is still sighing. There all peoples, all races and all 
religions can unite peacefully in mutual industry under a common 
flag. Many ideals for which Europe has striven for more than a 
thousand years have been grasped by the youngest continent in the 
course of two or three hundred years." 



346 ROOSEVELT FOR WORLD PEACE. 

Mr. Lund praised many features of American life, citing its 
industry, agricultural development, school systems and dwelt upon 
the position of the American woman and the popular respect for the 
worker. Addressing the Colonel he said: 

" Your journey through the old world, Mr. Roosevelt, has been 
a triumphal procession. Everywhere fathers have taken pleasure 
and pride in bidding welcome to so worthy a representative of their 
sons yonder in the West." 

The speaker reviewed the Colonel's activities in behalf of peace, 
referring especially to his share in the conclusion of peace between 
Russia and Japan, and added : 

" I have no doubt that the future will still afford you opportuni- 
ties for adding to your splendid achievements. Long live Theodore 
Roosevelt." 

SUMMARY OF ROOSEVELT'S IDEAS OF PEACE. 

" We should form a League of Peace not only to keep the peace 
among ourselves, but to prevent, by force, if necessary, its being 
broken by others. 

" There should be an international agreement to check the 
growth of armaments. 

" Peace becomes an evil thing when it serves merely to mask 
cowardice and sloth or as an instrument to further the ends of 
despotism or anarchy. 

" No man is worth calling a man who will not fight rather than 
submit to infamy or see those that are dear to him suffer wrong. 
This principle applies to all nations. 

" Civilized nations should have effective arbitration treaties. 

" There is as much need to curb the cruel greed and arrogance 
of part of the world of capital, to curb the cruel greed and violence 
of part of the world of labor, as to check the cruel and unhealthy 
militarism in international relationship. 

" Peace is never the highest good unless it comes as the hand- 
maid of righteousness. 

" I ask other nations to do only what I should be glad to see 
my own nation do." 



ROOSEVELT FOR WORLD PEACE 347 

On May 6 King Frederick's university conferred upon Colonel 
Roosevelt the degree of doctor of philosophy. It was the third 
time in a century that the degree had been given a foreigner. 

The exercises occurred in the amphitheater of the university. 
King Haakon entered with the Colonel at his right and faced a 
notable assemblage, including the premier and other members of the 
cabinet, the Nobel Prize Committee, the diplomatic corps, the faculty 
of the university and many persons distinguished in civil life. 

ROOSEVELT A RUSHING HUMAN ENGINE, SAYS THE DEAN. 

The dean of the faculty of history and philosophy made an 
address in which he said that Mr. Roosevelt had already left the 
earth and was residing on Olympus with Jupiter and Apollo, and 
that it was scarcely kind to drag him down among the mortals. 

He likened Colonel Roosevelt to a rushing human engine, diffi- 
cult to follow and making it difficult amid the clouds of smoke to 
discern precisely the manner of man he was. Some saw a winged 
angel and others a modern devil with claws. 

In sketching Colonel Roosevelt's career he found the " winning 
of the west " his most instructive work. He agreed with others that 
Theodore Roosevelt was a man who had learned to use the capacities 
and powers which, in most men, lie dormant, He had converted 
his capacities into energies. 

In reply, the Colonel said that it did not make much difference 
what capacities a man had. It was important rather what he did 
with them. The thing was to get the job done. The king laughed 
when the Colonel said : 

"If recognition comes for what you do,, good; if recognition 
does not come " — here the speaker paused — " it isn't quite so good." 

King Haakon and the Jolonel spent a part of the morning 
talking before an open fire in the palace, while the rain fell and a 
cold wind blew outside. 

The Colonel's first forenoon engagement was with a throat 
specialist, who sprayed the overtaxed organs that all but failed the 
former President the day before, and prescribed further treatment. 



313 ROOSEVELT FOR WORLD PEACE. 

The Colonel and Mrs. Roosevelt spent the afternoon driving 
about the capital with the king and queen, who later accompanied 
them to the railway station, where they took a special train for 
Stockholm. The Roosevelts were cheered by a crowd at the station 
as they left. 

ColoneJ Roosevelt and his family arrived in Stockholm the 
following day, and were received at the railway station by Price 
Wilhelm, who drove with them to the palace, where they became 
the guests of the Prince and Princess in the absence of King Gustave 
V., who was in the South of France. United States Minister 
Graves, the staff of the American Legation, the Premier and other 
members of the Swedish Cabinet were also at the station to receive 
the American guests. An immense crowd surrounded the receiving 
party and cheered as the train drew in. A choir stationed on the 
platform sang, " My Country, 'Tis of Thee," and the Swedish na- 
tional anthem. 

ENTERTAINED BY THE CROWN PRINCE AND PRINCESS. 

Colonel and Mrs. Roosevelt spent a comparatively quiet day in 
the company of the Crown Prince and Princess. The Prince and 
Princess accompanied them in the afternoon to the northern 
museum, the biological museum and the open-air museum, after 
which the party had luncheon at the palace. Colonel Roosevelt also 
was shown a horse- jumping military drill. 

Commenting on the death of King Edward, Colonel Roosevelt 
issued the following statement: "I am deeply grieved, and know 
that all Americans will be deeply grieved, at the death of his ma- 
jesty King Edward VII. We feel the most profound sympathy 
for the British people in their loss. We in America keenly appre- 
ciated King Edward's personal good will toward us, which he so 
frequently and so markedly showed. 

" We are well aware, also, of the devotion felt toward him by 
his subjects throughout the British empire, while all foreign nations 
had learned to see in the king a ruler whose great abilities, especially 
his tact, judgment and the unfailing kindness of his nature, rendered 
him peculiarly fit to work for international peace and justice. 



ROOSEVELT FOR WORLD PEACE. 349 

" Let me repeat that I am sure all American people feel at this 
time the deepest and most sincere sympathy for his family and the 
English nation." In addition to this, Colonel Roosevelt sent a per- 
sonal message to the widowed queen. 

In the course of the day, in speaking of the late King's tact, the 
Colonel gave an illustration of what he termed the finer sense of 
things which the King possessed. " Next to the ring John Hay 
gave me," said he, " I value the miniature of John Hampden King 
Edward sent me, after I became President. That was a present a 
sovereign could make with dignity and one a democratic President 
could accept. All historians and royalists agree that Hampden 
was a good man. The King must have known that Hampden was 
one of my four heroes — Timoleon, Hampden, Washington and Lin- 
coln. Such a selection as the miniature showed extreme tact. 

SILENT TOAST TO KING EDWARD'S MEMORY. 

" I have a personal feeling about the King's death. I know 
from having been President that he had an earnest desire to keep 
the relations between Great Britain and the United States on the 
closest and most friendly terms. King Edward's death removes one 
influence that tended strongly for peace and justice in international 
relations. His own people and other lands must feel that loss." 

At a citizens' brilliant banquet that night where were assembled 
the members of Sweden's parliament, the highest officials of Stock- 
holm and society representatives from all parts of the Kingdom Mr. 
Roosevelt proposed a silent toast to King Edward's memory, pre- 
faced by the following sympathetic remarks : 

" I came here at a time when a great friendly nation is bowed 
in grief over the loss of her sovereign. Britons mourn a wise, 
generous ruler whose sole thought was for the welfare of his people. 
All nations join in mourning the man whose voice was always raised 
for justice and peace among nations. So I propose our great sym- 
pathy and sorrow for the King who is dead and good wishes for 
him who takes the throne. I propose a silent toast to Britons in 
their hour of sorrow and trouble." 



350 ROOSEVELT FOR WORLD PEACE. 

In a laudatory speech at this dinner Premier Lindman said; 
" We are glad to welcome the foremost citizen of the great republic. 
to which Sweden has sent so many loyal citizens." 

After referring to the former President's efforts towards world 
peace and the conservation of natural resources, as well as his endea- 
vor morally to uplift his fellow countrymen, the Premier continued: 

" Your motto, Colonel Roosevelt, has been honesty, justice and 
good character in every citizen. You have sought to promote self- 
reliance and foster such a spirit in the nation that the stronger would 
help the weaker, when the weaker was in need and deserved it, and 
the manner in which you have worked to those ends has made your 
name respected and honored throughout the world." 

In his toast to the former President, Premier Lindman coupled 
Mrs. Roosevelt's name with the Colonel's, as a true wife who had 
contributed to her husband's success at every step. 

COLONEL ROOSEVELT OBLIGED TO REMAIN INDOORS* 

The weather at Stockholm on May 8, was rainy and blustry, 
and as the physician declared that exposure under such conditions 
would be bad for Mr. Roosevelt's bronchial tubes, which were 
slightly inflamed, he was obliged to remain indoors most of the time. 

The Colonel only left his apartments once. He took lunch with 
Charles H. Graves, the American Minister to Sweden, at the Lega- 
tion, and there met Sven Hedin, the explorer; Dr. Nordensksjold, 
the Antarctic explorer ; Admiral Palander Prof. Arrehenius, who is 
connected with the Nobel Institute, and other scientific and literary 
people. He intended to make a speech at the National Museum 
before the students and massed singing societies, but gave this up 
and instead bowed from the balcony of the legation to the students, 
and singers, who gathered in the street below and sang selections. 

The combined choruses rendered Swedish songs and the " Star- 
Spangled Banner," and at the conclusion of the singing Colonel 
Roosevelt expressed his thanks. The crowds on both sides of the 
water front facing the legation were estimated at between 30,000 
and 40,000, the greatest crowd, Minister Graves said., he had ever 



ROOSEVELT FOR WORLD PEACE. 351 

seen in Stockholm. The roofs of the houses and the shipping in the 
harbor were crowded and a mighty shout went up when the Colonel 
appeared. 

Later he received in the legation the Swedish members of the 
Interparliamentary Union. Senator Beckman, addressing Mr. 
Roosevelt, referred to his services to the cause of peace, and the 
former President replied very briefly. Prof. Gunnar Anderson 
presented to him the first copy, just from the press, of the Norwegian 
Geological Survey, which had been specially bound. 

Arrangements had been made for Mr. Roosevelt to go to the 
Riddarholmen, to place a wreath on King Oscar's tomb, but he sent 
Kermit in his place, the wreath being composed of palms and lilies 
and bearing no inscription. 

The Crown Prince spent some time in the Colonel's room in the 
forenoon and had tea with him in the afternoon, at which also the 
Crown Princess and other members of the royal family were present. 

After luncheon at the legation there was an exchange of stories, 
the Colonel being deeply interested in the experiences of Sven Hedin 
in Thibet. 

Colonel Roosevelt left for Berlin on a special train at 1 1 o'clock 
the next morning. He was feeling well and in a joking mood con- 
sidered himself altogether equal to the visit to Germany. 

A heavy downpour of rain drove from the streets the crowds 
that had assembled to witness the departure of the Roosevelts, but 
the railway station was occupied to its capacity. Among the num- 
ber who were on hand to say good-bye were Crown Prince Olaf, 
Premier Konow and others of the Swedish Cabinet, Mr. Graves, the 
American Minister, and Mr. Winslow, American Consul-General, 
with the legation and consular staffs, and many high officials of the 
government and city. 

As the train drew out of the station a cheer was given. Im- 
mediately after the Stars and Stripes which had floated from many 
buildings during Colonel Roosevelt's stay, were hauled down and the 
Swedish national colors were placed at half staff for King Edward. 



CHAPTER XXVIII 

COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN GERMANY. 

Emperor William Extends a Cordial Welcome at the: New 
Palace at Pottsdam — Run Parallel Courses — First 
Civilian Ever to Review Soldiers oe Imperial Germany 
Army — Sees Big Sham Battle — Acclaimed as " Rough 
Rider " — Lectures Before University of Berlin on the 
World Movement — Emperor Pays High Honor at Con- 
ferring of Degree — Doctor of Philosophy. 

T^HEODORE ROOSEVELT had the world for an audience. 
* His two speeches at Paris and Berlin received such universal 
attention and comment as no man in this day and generation has 
won before. These discourses are level to the comprehension and 
conviction of the vast mass. Platitudes they may hold, but plati- 
tudes well expressed, are the mental food of the multitude. 

At Berlin he precisely expressed the profound belief of men 
and women as to modern civilization. They see its advance. They 
know its perils. They desire a remedy. 

The " fighting edge " gives it to them, and expresses what 
most believe and desire to practice. Colonel Roosevelt's advice, 
assertion and attitude irritate many cultivated, educated, wide- 
horizoned men. They hate to be reminded that there are evils. 
They abhor the preaching of homely duty. Provision for a family, 
the daily virtues, personal self-sacrifice, protest against the ease, 
comfort and advantage which sap national strength, are not to the 
taste of those who win life's worldly prizes. 

But the multitude hear this gladly. They love it. They fol- 
low it. The two speeches Theodore Roosevelt has made have 
" immensely " — to quote his favorite word — increased his grip on 
the plain people. His doctrine is their doctrine. His preaching is 
their creed. 

352 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN GERMANY. 353 

The " fighting edge " — a phrase likely to live — the mass be- 
lieves in as much as it cherishes the daily duties. The instinctive 
difference between modern civilization and old is that the old was 
not aware of its peril and the new civilization is awake to it. Rome 
felt secure until Alaric was at the gates. Modern civilization is 
astir with alarm. 

When Theodore Roosevelt urges and exhorts to the life of 
active readiness for conflict he would be but a voice poured on the 
free winds far, were it not that this doctrine is in all the air. Look 
at the prodigious pains and effort in the past thirty years to main- 
tain physical stamina. Playgrounds and gymnasiums, the sports 
which fill newspapers by the page, college athletics and personal 
exercise, attention to hygiene and struggles with disease, universal 
interest in physical records, games, drills, new appliances and ap- 
paratus, the world-wide attention to matches and competitive events, 
all bespeak the same anxious desire to keep up the " fighting edge." 

COMPULSORY MILITARY SERVICE APPROVED. 

Armies are being remodeled. Navies are rebuilt. The train- 
ing of soldiers and sailors is more severe than ever before. Lands 
like Australia are drilling every school boy. Compulsory military 
service, once condemned, is approved. The national army is lauded 
in England as a national school, and in this country there never was 
so much effort to maintain a high physical type. 

This is universal. It exists everywhere. When Colonel 
Roosevelt urges it he but sums the universal practice. The civilized 
world grows physically stronger every decade. The one need is 
that all this shall bring a moral ardor in the attack on wrong and 
misdoing. Grave danger exists in every civilization and every city 
that men will accept evil and condone wrong, let thieving continue 
and corrupt profits swell while the vast mass acquiesces. 

The tendency of the past and present in law and government is 
towards centralization. The homogeneousness of nations has been 
more firmly established, the law codes of different countries more 
closely assimilated, the methods of war and peace in all nations are 



354 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN GERMANY, 

following the same general development toward a common standard 
and the peoples of the world, although differing in language, blood 
and history, are drawing near to what the great poet called the 
" federation of the world." 

The career of ex-President Roosevelt is the pride of all ad- 
mirers of robust, courageous personality. Edward VII claimed 
allegiance and honor from all mankind who knew his worth and 
public service, irrespective of national limits. The leaders in litera- 
ture, art and science contribute to the heritage of the world, not of 
any nation. 

Linguists are seeking a common language for international 
use and a destructive earthquake involving loss of life and property, 
whether at Messina or San Francisco, awakens the sympathy and 
opens the purse of all civilization. The telegraph obliterates time 
and distance and nations are linked together as never before. 

A WORLD'S TRIBUNAL. 

This admitted tendency to unification in progress and senti- 
ment emphasizes the question why in the matter of international 
jurisprudence the nations cannot come to some understanding by 
which the dread perils of war may be relegated to the past with the 
horrors of the Inquisition and the barbarities of the Middle Ages. 

As States in our own nation have their Courts for the adjust- 
ment of disputes, when dissatisfaction arises with the decision of 
the State Courts or the case is beyond their jurisdiction, an appeal 
to the National Supreme Court effectually settles the question and 
the decision is binding on all the parties in interest; so might the 
nations, when differences arise, appeal their cases to a high inter- 
national tribunal, whose edict should be final. 

This Court composed of honorable and able representatives 
from every leading nation could properly solve the problems that 
arise between nations by carefully weighing the evidence and the 
equities of the cases and, backed by the united powers of the nations 
represented, enforce its just decrees. 

This is no fancy picture, being already presaged by The Hague 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN GERMANY. 355 

conference and able, wise and diplomatic statesmen could readily 
formulate such a plan on practical lines and in intent and purpose 
the poet's dream would be realized. 

" Till the war drum throbbed no longer and the battle flags were furled 
In the Parliament of man, the Federation of the world, 
There the common sense of most shall hold a fretful realm in awe 
And the kindly earth shall slumber, lapt in universal law." 

Greek met Greek when the Kaiser and Colonel Roosevelt 
clasped hands on the marble steps of Frederick the Great's historic 
New Palace at Potsdam. The meeting between the world's two 
chief exponents of the strenuous life was cordial and friendly in 
the extreme. Clad in a picturesque white uniform of the Garde du 
Corps, with a helmet surmounted by a shimmering silver eagle, the 
Kaiser looked every inch the War Lord immortalized by myriad 
photographs as he and the Colonel stood shaking hands vigorously 
and enthusiastically for almost a full minute. 

AN ENTHUSIASTIC GREETING BY THE EMPEROR. 

His Majesty generously exceeded conventional requirements by 
waiting for his guest's approach at the outdoor steps instead of re- 
maining within. As the result of scrupulously secret preparations, 
the complete details of the long waited for event perhaps will be 
never known, even the services of a master of ceremonies to make 
the presentation being dispensed with, so none can repeat the exact 
language of the greeting. 

Colonel Roosevelt, who arrived in Berlin on May 10, and spent 
the forenoon at the American Embassy, was escorted to Potsdam 
by General Alfred von Loewenfeld, the personal representative of 
the Emperor. 

The Colonel was accompanied by Airs. Roosevelt, Miss Roose- 
velt and Kermit; Mr. Hill and Mrs. Hill; Captain Samuel G. 
Shartle, the military attache, and Lt. Commander Reginald R. 
Belknap, the naval attache of the American Embassy. 

As their carriages drove into the courtyard Emperor Wiliam 



356 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN GERMANY. 

appeared at the principal entrance of the new palace and descended 
to meet his guests. 

Preceded by the Lord Chamberlain, Count Zu Eulenberg, and 
Master of the Imperial Household, Baron Von Lyncker, the Em- 
peror, with Colonel Roosevelt at his right, entered the palace, and, 
passing through the large apartment popularly known as the shell 
room, showed his guests into the smaller salon beyond. 

Mrs. Roosevelt entered on the arm of General Von Loewenf eld, 
and in turn was followed by Ambassador and Mrs. Hill, Miss 
Roosevelt and Kermit, Captain Shartle and Lieutenant-Commander 
Belknap and Dr. Von Bethmann-Hollweg, the Imperial Chancellor, 
with Prince Solms-Bareuth. 

Within the salon the party was received by Empress Augusta 
Victoria, Crown Prince Frederick William, Crown Princess Cecilie, 
Princess Victoria Louise, Prince Joachim and Prince Oscar. 

ENTERTAINED BY THE EMPEROR AND EMPRESS. 

The luncheon that followed was attended by a large number, 
including many government officials and others prominent in public 
life. There were six tables. 

At one of these were seated the Emperor, with Mrs. Roosevelt 
at his left and the Crown Princess on his right; the Chancellor, 
General Von Plessin, Kermit Roosevelt, Count Zu Eulenberg, Mr. 
Hill, General Loomenfeld and Lieutenant-Commander Belknap. 

At another table the Empress was seated between Mr. Roose- 
velt and the Crown Prince. The young Princess Victoria was 
seated at the Colonel's left. Others at this table were Miss Roose- 
velt, Captain Shartle, Foreign Minister Von Schoen; Mrs. Hill, 
Prince Solms-Bareuth and the Countess Keller. 

When the luncheon was over the Kaiser took possession of the 
Colonel, and, piloting him into a corner, engaged him immediately 
in the most animated conversation. History probably will be de- 
prived of knowledge of what was talked about, but whatever it was 
both the Emperor and the Colonel resorted frequently to gestures 
with arms, fists and heads to drive home their meaning and empha- 
size their points. 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN GERMANY. 357 

Then the Emperor motored with the Roosevelt family to the 
Sans Souci Palace for a look at the royal residence, hallowed with 
memories of Frederick the Great. The Colonel recalled the claims 
of the Kaiser's great warrior ancestor to American interest, how 
Frederick forbade England's hired Hessian troops to cross Prus- 
sian soil and his profound admiration for Washington. Then, 
after a visit, which had lasted from one o'clock till five, the Roose- 
velts motored back to the American Embassy in Berlin in one of 
the imperial automobiles. 

Whether it was due to his elocutionary contest with the Kaiser 
or to the raw, rainy weather which prevailed in Berlin throughout 
the day, the Colonel reached the Embassy considerably hoarser than 
when he arrived in Berlin early in the forenoon. His throat was 
so sore he found it difficult to speak with any trace of freedom or 
good humor to Commander Peary, who was awaiting the ex-Presi- 
dent, the explorer having delayed his departure for Rome two days 
for the purpose of greeting the Colonel. 

ROOSEVELT AND KAISER RUN PARALLEL COURSES. 

On his return to the Embassy the Colonel submitted to an 
examination at the hands of Professor Fraenkel, one of Germany's 
most celebrated throat specialists. Doctor Fraenkel found him 
suffering from an acute case of laryngitis, an after effect of bron- 
chitis, of such a type as commonly attacks persons who have dwelt 
some time in the tropics. 

Theodore Roosevelt and the German Emperor are the same 
age — fifty-one — and both were born on the 27th of the month; 
Roosevelt in October, 1858, and the Emperor in the following Jan- 
uary. 

Both were married on the 27th of the month, the Colonel in 
October 1880, and the Emperor in the following February. As 
boys each is said to have had the same favorite author — James 
Fenimore Cooper. 

In their fondness for out-door sports the Colonel and the 
Kaiser display similarities. Both are fond of riding and hunting 
and they each play tennis cleverly, and, although Roosevelt has the 



358 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN GERMANY. 

advantage of greater experience, the Kaiser would give him a good 
run at his favorite game. 

Both know the technical points of a warship from keel to mast- 
top, and both agree that the best. thing for the inside of a man is 
the outside of a horse. Both believe in the " simple life." Both 
are family men. The Kaiser is the father of seven children and 
the Colonel of six. 

For five hours on May n, the flower of the Kaiser's army, 
12,00c cavalry, artillery and infantry, of the guard, waged mimic 
war for the edification of Colonel Roosevelt. The battle raged with 
realistic fury from nine in the morning until two in the afternoon, 
and while the countryside reverberated with the roar of artillery 
and the crackle of rifle fire the man of San Juan and the German 
War Lord surveyed the thrilling panorama on horseback from an 
eminence which commanded the entire position. 

THE COLONEL DELIGHTED WITH THE MANOEUVERS. 

The two men were scarcely ten feet apart at any time during 
the manoeuvers and they chatted as excitedly as boys. 

The Kaiser seemed proud to show the efficiency of the various 
branches of his army, his only disappointment being the failure of 
the balloon corps aboard the military dirigible Gross III to appear. 
The balloon ascended from its headquarters at Tegel, but a fierce 
gale forced the crew to abandon the flight to Doeberitz. 

It was a spectacle which kept the Rough Rider's blood tingling 
from start to finish. No single item in his long programme of 
African and European honors had made a stronger appeal to his 
imagination. 

The Colonel donned an American campaigning outfit for the 
occasion, khaki jacket and riding breeches, with tan leggings and 
boots and his familiar black slouch hat, " our national headgear," 
as he described it. One of the Emperor's automobiles called for 
him at the Embassy at seven o'clock. Professor Fraenkel had taken 
a look down the Colonel's throat before breakfast and found his 
laryngitis had receded sufficiently to permit him to take the field 
without danger. The weather, moreover, had turned gloriously 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN GERMANY. 359 

fine during the night, and the morning was like summer at Oyster 
Bay. 

The Colonel was accompanied to the battleground to Doeberitz, 
midway between Berlin and Potsdam, by his German aide de camp, 
Lieutenant Colonel Von Koerner; ex- Ambassador Henry White, 
the American Military Attache in Berlin, Captain Shartle, and 
Kermit. 

Diplomatic circles were amazed at the unyielding determina- 
tion of the Kaiser to furnish a great military spectacle for the 
Colonel. Diplomats absolved Colonel Roosevelt completely for any 
consequences which may ensue because he is on record as having 
given the Kaiser ample opportunity to cancel his Berlin visit. The 
party reached the field a little before eight o'clock and mounted 
chargers specially selected from the Kaiser's stables. 

HORSES FROM THE KAISER'S STABLES. 

The Emperor was already on hand, mounted and in the uni- 
form of a general of infantry, with a large band of crepe on the left 
arm of his overcoat. With him, also on horseback, were the Em- 
press, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, Princess Eitel Fred- 
erich, Princess Victoria Louise and the Kaiser's son, Prince Adel- 
bert. As soon as the Emperor's party had exchanged greetings 
with the Colonel the Kaiser and the ex-President rode off to Mill 
Hill, from which they were to watch the day's operations. 

The Kaiser's face glowed with pride as he watched his two 
sons, one a major of an infantry regiment, assigned to the attacking 
force, the other, Eitel Frederick, leading the cavalry in the defense, 
pitted against each other in a thrilling conflict held solely for the 
Colonel's delectation. 

By nine o'clock the battle was in full swing. Two hours later 
the engagement became general. The theoretical objective was the 
repulse of the hostile forces advancing on Potsdam from the east. 
The operations covered an area of nine square miles of territory, 
ideally suited for the most varied sort of tactics. 

At noonday the heavens were rumbling with the roar of long 
range artillery and the barks of the machine guns and musketry. 



360 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN GERMANY. 

The Colonel was enthralled. His field glasses raked the horizon 
restlessly, and as the invading cavalry, with 3000 lances glinting 
brilliantly in the midday sun, drove home the final attack through 
the jaws of the defenders' artillery, the commander of the Rough 
Riders shouted his joy in staccato outbursts to his proud and 
smiling Imperial host. 

Other features of the manoeuvers that greatly interested the 
Colonel and which the Kaiser explained to him in detail were the 
work of the telegraph, telephone and other technical branches. The 
Kaiser's intimate knowledge of every phase of army work was a 
surprise to the Colonel, despite the Kaiser's reputation for being a 
close student of military questions. 

At two o'clock the " Cease fire " was sounded and then the 
troops of both armies joined in the march past the Emperor and the 
Colonel, the latter doffing his black sombrero in salute as each set of 
regimental colors filed by. 

"MEIN FREUND ROOSEVELT." 

When the march was over the Kaiser, surrounded by a glitter^ 
ing galaxy of several hundred staff officers, turned to the Colonel, 
removed his own helmet, and said, " Mein freund Roosevelt," so 
much in German, then in English, " I am happy to welcome you in 
the presence of my guards. We are glad you have seen a part of 
our army. You are the only private citizen who ever reviewed 
German troops." 

The Kaiser then addressed his officers, saying: " We have been 
honored to-day with the presence of the distinguished Colonel of 
the famous American Rough Riders. 

This bouquet of pleasantries brought the day's stirring events 
to a finish. The Kaiser and the Colonel said: "Auf wiedersehen 
f .o-morrow," and motored back respectively to Potsdam and Berlin. 
In accordance with his policy of refraining from comment on the 
entertainment provided him, Colonel Roosevelt would only opine on 
returning to the Embassy that it had been " a most interesting 
day." 

Asked how he had liked the specimen of German charger 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN GERMANY. 36] 

which he had ridden, the Colonel said : "Oh, bully, by George ! Ai ! 
And what a corking five hours in the saddle, too." 

That night the Roosevelts dined with the Hills. The guests 
included in addition to the ladies and gentlemen of the Embassy, 
Chancellor Von Bethmann-Hollweg, Foreign Secretary and Bar- 
oness Von Schoen, Seth Low and wife, Henry White and wife, 
American Consul General Thackara, of Berlin, and the rector of 
Berlin University. 

President Taft, on May n, appointed Theodore Roosevelt spe- 
cial administrator of the United States to attend the funeral of 
King Edward. Colonel Roosevelt accepted the commission in a 
cable message to the President. 

" THE WORLD MOVEMENT." 

Colonel Roosevelt delivered a lecture on May 12, on " The 
World Movement," at the University of Berlin, and received from 
the University the honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy. 

Emperor William honored the occasion with his presence. It 
was the first time that His Majesty had graced a conferment, and 
the courtesy was significant in view of the fact that the German 
court was in mourning for the monarch's uncle. 

The ceremony of conferring the degree was staged and con- 
ducted with impressive simplicity. There were no flags or emblems 
of royalty and the government. The walls of the Aula were bare 
except for the rows of busts of Germany's scholars and scientists. 

By a curious coincidence, Colonel Roosevelt spoke in the Aula, 
or hall, where the Kaiser, on October 19, 1906, rose dramatically, 
after an address by Professor John W. Burgess, of Columbia Uni- 
versity, and cried for three cheers for Theodore Roosevelt. 

The only touch of color was furnished by the Senators of the 
University with their robes of scarlet and blue and the five heads of 
the student corps, who wore blue jackets, white breeches, jack boots 
and parti-colored sashes. 

Four hundred guests of the University, who held cards of ad- 
mission, were seated when Emperor William, accompanying the 
Colonel, entered from a side door of the hall. As they appeared 



362 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN GERMANY. 

the University choir chanted, " Heil Dir Im Siegerkranz " (Hail to 
the Conqueror's Wreath), the Prussian National Hymn, to the 
strains of " America." 

The Colonel occupied the seat at the reading desk and at his 
side stood the heads of the student corps with drawn swords. This 
-striking guard of honor remained standing and almost immovable 
during the entire lecture and ceremony. 

The Emperor took occasion to congratulate the Colonel upon 
his lecture and its delivery so courageously accomplished under 
distressing physical conditions. He talked with the former Presi- 
dent for six or eight minutes. The auditorium was filled to its 
capacity of 1,200 persons by the faculty of the University, students 
and guests. 

OUTLINED THE LIFE OF THE COLONEL. 

The rector, Frich Schmidt, opened the program by giving an 
outline of the life of the Colonel from the time that he was a delicate 
child until he became an African Nimrod. When he had finished 
this sketch he introduced the former President, who was received 
enthusiastically. 

The Colonel appeared in the pink of physical condition. His 
voice husky at first, gained steadily in clearness as he proceeded, 
and he was able to deliver his complete written thesis of 9,000 
words. To this he added extemporaneously from time to time by 
way of emphasis and explanation. 

Colonel Roosevelt found his voice much improved when I12 rose 
that morning and said that he felt perfectly able to deliver his ad- 
dress. Until then there was doubt whether the Colonel would be 
able to keep his engagement, and when it became known that he ex- 
pected to do so there was much elation among the Univesity officials 
and others who had looked forward to the address with eagerness. 

Word that the Colonel would be heard was communicated 
swiftly throughout the city in the forenoon, and when at the hour 
appointed he reached the University the historic Aula was occupied 
by a distinguished company. 

' To-day I am in Berlin University," began the speaker, 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN GERMANY. 363 

" Yesterday I was in the open air university of the German army 
and sat at the foot of the great master of that university." 

The Colonel said that the German Emperor had often been held 
up before him as a statesman who was doing things which he, the 
speaker, should do. 

" I remember," he added, " that my friend, Dr. Pritchard, then 
President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at Boston, 
told me of the Emperor's interest in and knowledge of technical 
education. 

; ' While in Africa I used to think that there was something 
wrong with the mail if it did not bring me a letter from Benjamin 
Ide Wheeler telling me of his admiration for some feature of Ger- 
man life and of the Emperor's extraordinary qualities and kind- 
ness." 

Then he launched into his lecture on " The World Movement," 
sketching the ancient and mediaeval civilizations, pointing to the 
causes of their rise and fall, and drawing lessons to show how the 
civilization of to-day might endure. 

DID NOT BELIEVE CIVILIZATION WOULD FALL. 

He declared he did not believe this civilization would fall ; that 
it was in the power of the peoples of to-day to preserve their culture 
and achievements for all time. They had, he declared, the power to 
hew their fate, if they had only the wit and courage to do so. 

He dwelt upon the necessity of keeping keen the " fighting 
edge," and asserted that development must be broadly along all 
lines. Arms must not be forgotten for science and commercialism 
must not supplant entirely the " virile righting virtues." He showed 
how Greece and Rome had decayed because mercenaries had sup- 
planted the citizen soldiers of pioneer and glorious days. He 
pointed with emphasis to the exactly opposite tendency of modern 
days, illustrating with the American Revolution and the Civil 
War. 

Politics were purer, he declared, and were not used so much 
now as in the past for financial gain, although wealth still had great 
influence in public affairs. In another digression from his set 



364 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN GERMANY. 

speech and following his remarks concerning military virtue, the 
former President said : 

" I saw some of your German troops march before the Com- 
mander-in-Chief yesterday. I cannot understand how any German 
could look upon those soldiers without a feeling of pride at the 
physical and intellectual character of those soldiers from the farm 
and shop, serving their time and then returning to their other work 
to be replaced by other and younger men. I can see only hope for 
the future with such men." The audience vigorously applauded 
Colonel Roosevelt's remarks concerning mothers and housewives. 

PRINCIPAL THEMES OF THE COLONEL'S ADDRESS. 

The Colonel in his address presented the following thoughts: 

" Personally, I do not believe that our civilization will fall. I 
think that, on the whole, we have grown better and not worse." 

" I think that, on the whole, the future holds more for us than 
ever the great past has held." 

" Assuredly the dreams of golden glory in the future will not 
come true unless, high of heart and strong of hand, by our own 
mighty deeds we make them come true." 

" We cannot afford to develop any one set of qualities, any one 
set of activities at the cost of seeing others, equally necessary 
atrophied." 

' We, the men of to-day and of the future, need many qualities 
if we are to do our work well." 

" One of the prime dangers of civilization has always been its 
tendency to cause the loss of the virile fighting virtues, of the fight- 
ing edge." 

" When men get too comfortable and lead too luxurious lives 
there is always danger lest the softness eat like an acid into our 
manliness of fibre." 

" If the average man will not work, if he has not in him the 
will and the power to be a good husband and father; if the average 
woman is not a good housewife, a good mother, then the State will 
topple, will go down." 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN GERMANY. 365 

" The things of the spirit are even more important than the 
things of the body." 

" It would be a bad thing, indeed to accept Tolstoi as a guide in 
social and moral affairs, but it also would be a bad thing not to have 
Tolstoi." 

" We must remember that it is only by working along the lines 
laid down by the philanthropists — by the lovers of mankind — that 
we can be sure of lifting our civilization to a higher and more per- 
manent plane of well-being." 

" Unjust war is to be abhorred, but woe to the nation that does 
not make ready to hold its own in time of need against all who 
would harm it ; and woe thrice over to the nation in which the aver- 
age man loses the fighting edge, loses the power to serve as a 
soldier." 

" In the Grecian and Roman military history the change was 
steadily from a citizen army to an army of mercenaries. The exact 
reverse has been the case with us in modern times." 

RECEIVES DIPLOMA AS DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY. 

" The single fact that the old civilization was based upon 
slavery shows the chasm that separates the two." 

" Forces for good and forces for evil are everywhere evident, 
each acting with a hunderd or a thousand fold the intensity with 
which it acted in former ages." 

" Frowning or hopeful, every man of leadership in any line of 
thought or effort must now look beyond the limits of his own 
country." 

Dr. Roethe, dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, followed the 
Colonel, and closed a discourse in German by addressing the former 
President in Latin. The dean caused a laugh among the Senators 
when in his Latin effort he used a feminine ending for a masculine 
noun, and so furnished the only pleasantry of two hours and a half 
of oratory. 

As Dr. Roethe handed the new doctor his diploma the choir 
sang the German national hymn and the audince gave three cheers. 
The exercises ended with the singing of " The Star Spangled Ban- 



366 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN GERMANY. 

ner " by the choir. The assemblage waited until the Emperor and 
Colonel Roosevelt had left the hall. 

The Colonel and Kermit were guests that night of Chancellor 
Von Bethmann-Helweg at a dinner at the Chancellor's palace. The 
others present included the American Ambassador, Mr. Hill; 
Count Zeppelin, Herr Delbueck, the Vice-Chancellor ; Admiral Von 
Tirpitz, Secretary of the Admiralty; Herr Dornburg, Minister of 
the Colonies; Baron Von Rheinbaben, Minister of Finance, and 
many others noted in official and commercial life. 

The Colonel displayed the greatest interest in Bismarck's work- 
ing and living apartments. A reception followed the dinner, many 
of the members o^ the Reichstag and Landtag being presented to 
the former President. 

VISITS HOME FOR WORN-OUT WORKERS. 

The Colonel in company with Burgomaster Kirchner motored 
the following morning to Buch, a suburb, where a colony of 1200 
worn-out workers, men and women, are maintained in relative com- 
fort at the expense of the city of Berlin. The subject of public 
dependents was being pursued by the former President, who while 
in Denmark investigated a similar institution. 

The public charges at Buch are made up of the aged, the infirm 
and those temporarily incapacitated for work. They are not only 
supported reasonably, but in case of sickness receive thorough 
medical treatment. 

Returning to Berlin the Colonel was the guest at luncheon of 
Ambassador Hill at the American Embassy. The luncheon party 
was a large one. During the luncheon the Colonel proposed a toast 
" to the health of His Majesty the German Emperor and the future 
of the German people." 

At the reception which followed, the Colonel received a dele- 
gation from the Interparliamentary Union, who were introduced by 
Prince Von Carolath-Beuthen. Replying to an address presented 
him by the delegates, the former President said that the general 
demand for peace only excited the derision of practical men, but 
when peace was worked for by practical men such as the delegates, 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN GERMANY. 367 

with definite aims and methods, the results were splendid in their 
fruits. 

Profesor Brant, President of the Shakespeare Society, pre- 
sented the Colonel with a parchment creating the recipient an 
honorary member of the society, which, the document stated, con- 
stituted " a close tie between Germany and the English-speaking 
world." 

Late in the afternoon the Colonel held a reception at the home 
of Lieutenant Commander Belknap, the American Naval Attache 
at Berlin, where he met many high officers of the German navy and 
military. At this reception one of the officers, acting on behalf of 
Emperor William, presented Colonel Roosevelt w T ith several photo- 
graphs, showing the American ex-President and Emperor William 
together at the Doeberitz manoeuvers. The photographs bore the 
autograph of the Emperor. 

DINED AT THE FRENCH EMBASSY. 

The Colonel and his family dined in the evening at the French 
Embassy, the guests of Jules Cambon. This dinner was private, 
and besides the Roosevelts w r as attended only by Ambassador and 
Mrs. Hill and the staffs of the French and American Embassies. 

Amid the quiet surroundings of the Roosevelt Library at the 
University of Berlin, the Colonel on the morning of May 14, again 
tackled the correspondence which had outrun him from the moment 
he emerged from the African jungles. He failed to catch up, but 
before the noon hour he had made great progress. 

Later, the former President received and had a chat with 
Professor C. G. Schilling and Paul Niedieck, two of Germany's 
best-known hunters of African big game. The Colonel had lunch- 
eon as the guest of Joseph C. Grew, second secretary of the Amer- 
ican Embassy. Other guests w r ere Mrs. Roosevelt, Miss Roosevelt, 
Kermit Roosevelt, American Ambassador Hill, Mrs. Hill, Miss 
Hill, Henry White, former American Ambassador to France, and 
Mrs. White, and Professor and Frau Schilling. Professor Schilling, 
w T ith a stereopticon, showed some flash-light pictures of jungle 
animals and presented the Colonel with five of the collection. 



;;G8 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN GERMANY. 

The Colonel concluded the afternoon with a visit to the zoolo- 
gical gardens. He began an inspection which lasted an hour and 
was interrupted by a cloudburst, the Colonel taking refuge in the 
ostriches' house The Colonel talked so knowingly and interestingly 
about the exhibits that the presence of attendants provided to ex- 
plain thing's was quite superfluous. 

During the day Emperor William sent to the Colonel a vase 
from the royal porcelain works. The vase is three feet in height, 
and bears upon one side a likeness of His Majesty. On the opposite 
side are two views of the imperial palace in Berlin, one from the 
bridge of the Elector, showing the equestrian statue of the great 
elector, and the other the palace terrace, with the statue of William 
01 Grange. The following day at noon the Colonel and his party 
started for London. There was a large crowd at the steamboat 
landing to bid the Colonel goodbye. 

A correspondent of the London Times, writing to his journal 
of the strenuous days that the Colonel has inflicted upon the re- 
porters in their efforts to keep up with the Roosevelt procession, 
said : 

' This is indeed a singular adventure upon which we are en- 
gaged. It is useless to pretend it is not royal progress, for what 
further marks of distinction could any sovereign receive than to 
travel in royal trains, dwell in king's houses, be welcomed by Kings, 
Queens and Princes, drive in state carriages amid flags and cheering 
crowds, and have miles of warships manned for him, and it was not 
only the ex-President who was honored as if he were a reigning 
monarch — Mrs. Roosevelt, with her charm and quiet dignity, was 
honored equally; her bright, unspoilt, attractive son and daughter 
were honored, too. The whole affair was quite unique." 






CHAPTER XXIX 
COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 

As " Funeral Ambassador " is Welcomed by Lord Dundonald 
Received at the Marlborough House by King George V — 
Viewed the Lying-in-State oe King Edward — Protected 
by Red Coats after the Manner oe Royalty — Celebrated 
English University Confers High Honor — Doctor oe 
Laws — Receives the Freedom oe the City oe London. 

A^OLONEL ROOSEVELT'S amazing receptions in Europe 
^-^ have made a breach in court etiquette the magnitude and 
importance of which few Americans can understand. 

No similar honors ever before paid by royalty to an ex-Presi- 
dent. Crowned heads visit Paris incognito to avoid raising any 
awkward issue as to the precise position of the ruler of the French 
Republic. It was years after France became a Republic before any 
European sovereign of the first rank visited Paris in state. 

An ex-President has in the past only been recognized as a very 
distinguished private citizen whom the sovereign of the country he 
visited met with a gracious and friendly welcome. To European 
eyes it seems very strange that crowned heads should have met 
Theodore Roosevelt at railroad stations and, still more, that he was 
asked to review troops in company with the Emperor of Germany. 

These are trifles to an American. They should be trifles every- 
where. But in Europe questions of etiquette and precedence are 
not trifles. They are realities. They control affairs. They affect 
the public imagination. They influence events. Members of the 
royal caste of Europe, numbering many hundreds of men and 
women, hold themselves apart from all the world. 

Never since Benjamin Franklin upheld the glory and dignity 

24— T.R. 369 



370 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN" ENGLAND. 

of the new-born republic have the power, majesty and achievements 
of the great American nation been more forcibly presented to the 
people of the Old World than they were by our greatest President, 
Theodore Roosevelt. 

As a publicity promoter the honored Colonel of the Rough 
Riders was in the vanguard. He made every hamlet in Europe 
ring with praises of this country and its people. 

Soon after his arrival in London he was received in Marl- 
borough House by King George and met Queen Mary. This was 
regarded as an exceptional compliment, and the two engaged in an 
extended conversation. 

The entrance to the city of the distinguished American was a 
quiet one and in marked contrast with his appearance at other 
capitals and with what would have been made of the occasion but 
for the death of the British King. 

THE COLONEL AT THE BIER OF KING EDWARD VII. 

Conducted privately to the throne room in Buckingham Palace, 
Theodore Roosevelt, who arrived in London, on May 16, was per- 
mitted to look upon the face of King Edward VII. The Colonel, 
unattended by any of his party stood for several moments beside 
the coffin and then, with head bowed, moved slowly away. 

In the course of the day the Roosevelts called upon the Duke 
and Duchess of Connaught at Clarence House. They also called 
upon the Crown Prince and Crown Princess Christian of Den- 
mark, the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, the Princess Henry of 
Battenberg, and the Duchess of Fife, and at Buckingham Palace 
inscribed their names in the visiting books of Dowager Empress 
Marie of Russia, and Duke Michael Alexandrovitch, King Haakon 
and Queen Maud of Norway. 

They had just returned to Dorchester House when they re- 
ceived a return call from King Haakon, who greeted the special 
Ambassador and his wife as old friends. While luncheon was being 
served the Duke of Connaught and Prince Arthur of Connaught 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 371 

called. Mrs. Roosevelt went to Buckingham Palace again in the 
afternoon and paid a visit to Queen Maud. 

Never before had London newspapers spoken in such praise 
of Roosevelt as they did the next day. There were column editorials 
devoted to character studies of him and without exception they were 
friendly in the extreme. 

Everywhere the utmost satisfaction was expressed that he was 
chosen to represent the United States at the king's funeral. 

Several newspapers said that in happier circumstances the 
former President's arrival would have been marked by a generous 
tribute of public enthusiasm, and that coming as the chief mourner 
of the United States the welcome, while less elaborate, is none the 
less sincere. 

THE COLONEL RECEIVES CAREFUL ATTENTION. 

Colonel Roosevelt was guarded by four stalwart scarlet-coated 
English soldiers for two days preceding and continued until after 
King Edward's funeral. In placing this guard over America's 
special envoy the Colonel was accorded the same distinction enjoyed 
by Kings and other royalties who were in London for the funeral. 
The same militant scene at Dorchester House was to be seen at 
Buckingham and at other places where royalty was quartered. 

The Colonel had a lengthy audience with King Haakon of 
Norway and he also met King George of Greece. With all the 
members of the American special embassy he wrote his name in the 
books of King Alfonso of Spain, Prince Henry of Prussia, Grand 
Duke Michael and other royalties. 

The Colonel was busy the following morning in his own room 
attending to his correspondence. He took luncheon at Dorchester 
House. The guests included Augustine Birrell, the Chief Secretary 
for Ireland, and Lewis Harcourt, the First Commissioner of 
Works. After the luncheon, the kings of Denmark and Greece called 
on the Colonel. Before they left, Prince Henry of Prussia, brother 
of the Kaiser, called, and he was quickly followed by Lord Alver- 
stone, the Lord Chief Justice of England. 



372 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 

Later on, the Colonel, accompanied by his own staff and Mr. 
White, the special diplomatic delegate to the funeral of King 
Edward; Major T. Bentley Mott, the American military attache at 
the American embassy at Paris and the gentlemen assigned to his 
suite by King George, went to " inscribe." The kings of Portugal 
and Belgium, the Chinese and Japanese princes and a few other 
special representatives at the funeral were there at the same time. 

As the Colonel was leaving Buckingham Palace after " inscrib- 
ing," he encountered the Kaiser, who greeted him warmly. Taking 
the Colonel by the hand, he led him away to his own apartments, 
where he kept him in conversation for three quarters of an hour. 

At night the Colonel dined at Buckingham Palace, where King 
George gave the first dinner of his reign. It was a great banquet, 
with a numerous company of guests, comprising all the royal and 
other special representatives at the funeral. 

ANCIENT POMP AND CEREMONIAL. 

With pomp and ceremonial borrowed from the past ages ming- 
ling in picturesque contrast with modern mourning, the British Em- 
pire on May 20 surrendered up its royal dead. Edward VII, the 
thirty-sixth in the line of sovereigns of England since the conquest 
of the dauntless Normans, mourned by the world at large, lies in a 
crypt in St. George's chapel royal. 

The streets of London were lined with 30,000 picked troops, 
called to restrain the great crowds as well as to protect Kings, 
Princes and other royalties as well as distinguished representatives 
of foreign governments who followed the coffin of the dead King. 

The royal carriage in which the Colonel rode received even 
more attention than any of the kings who rode in the funeral pro- 
cession. The London public had the processional personnel at its 
fingers' ends, calling off accurately the exalted men who appeared. 

All the reigning monarchs, of course, were on horseback, but 
Colonel Roosevelt, in accordance with conventions, occupied a 
carriage, with the windows open, thus affording a brief glimpse 
which disclosed him talking animatedly with M. Pichon, the French 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 373 

envoy, and Sanad Khan Montaz Es Sultaneh, who represented 
Persia, the trio comprising the total number of special envoys. 

At Windsor the Colonel joined the foot procession to the tomb, 
later participating in the royal luncheon at Windsor, where more 
than one hundred kings, queens, princes and princesses sat at ten 
tables. The Colonel sat at the table of King George. 

Everyone in attendance admitted that the Colonel was the 
dominating figure. The royalties who had not yet been presented 
crowded about him eager for an introduction. The former Presi- 
dent was literally besieged by royal questioners to learn his views of 
European politics, but he was on his guard and countered by ques- 
tions regarding the duties and burdens of kingship. 

MR ROOSEVELT INTERESTS A NOTABLE GATHERING. 

For more than an hour this crossfire of questions continued and 
finally developed into the distinctive feature of the luncheon. So 
interested did the notable assemblage, the greatest gathering of 
royalty ever seen at such a function, become in the Colonel that for 
a time the note of sorrow over the burial of King Edward was lost 
sight of. Roosevelt's personality swept everything else aside. That 
which impressed the Colonel most was the demeanor of the people, 
the solemn dignity of the ceremony. 

Mrs. Roosevelt spent an hour or more on May 25 in the com- 
pany of the Queen Mother Alexandra, at Buckingham Palace. The 
call was made on the invitation of Her Majesty, who, when she re- 
ceived the Colonel expressed the hope that she might see his wife. 

The conversation between the two had a wide range. The 
Queen Mother was especially interested in her visitor's description 
of the place occupied by women in the United States. Her Majesty 
also inquired about Mrs. Roosevelt's journey to the Soudan to meet 
her husband and listened with evident pleasure to the experiences 
related. 

The London Daily Telegraph, in a long editorial eulogy of the 
Colonel, describes him as the most powerful statesman in the English 



374 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 

speaking world. " His personality," it said, " is better known 
throughout the globe than any other, except the German Emperor 
and in some ways he is the stronger marked of the two and he could, 
if he pleased, become the Warwick of American politics." 

The Colonel came forth from the seclusion imposed upon him 
by England's mourning requirements in pink and scarlet, his gor- 
geous new LL. D. robes being a little more brilliant than the other 
accessories attending his initial public appearance in England to 
receive the Cambridge honors. 

MR. ROOSEVEL RECEIVES A "ROISTERING" WELCOME. 

As he trod for the first time the paths used in student days by 
John Harvard and other famous men he saw in the middle of the 
walk a Teddy bear, placed there with an extended welcoming paw 
by the roistering " undergrads." Later in the Senate House, 
where were assembled masters of colleges, dons and a few fortunate 
Americans who alone of the applying hundreds succeeded in pro- 
curing cards, he gamely survived the ragging by the undergraduates 
crowding the oaken galleries, from whence Teddy bears, suspended 
from strings, were made to pounce down on him as he sought to 
depart dignifiedly in the scholastic procession. 

Good naturedly he waived the privilege of capturing the biggest 
bear as it dangled purposely within reach, the custom being for 
newly-made doctors to take such a souvenir. So his neglect aroused 
renewed shrieks of laughter attending the traditional tomfoolery. 

The expression of prophecy that Englishmen would refuse to 
take Mr. Roosevelt overseriously apparently is contained in verses 
dedicated to him and published in Cambridge's organ, the " Gowns- 
man " : 

" The lion and the unicorn will scatter for their lives 
When the mighty big game hunter from America arrives: 
But his prowess in the jungle is as nothing to his fame 
In the copybooks cum Sunday chapel missionary game. 
Oh, we're ready for you Teddy. Our sins are all reviewed' 
We've put away our novels and our statues in the nude. 
We've read your precious homilies, and hope to hear some more. 
At the coming visitation of the moral Theodore. 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 375 

"No, seriously, Teddy, we're proud to have you here; 
Your speeches may be out of date, your methods may be queer ; 
But you've done some pretty decent things without delay or fuss, 
And you're full of grit inside, and that's what appeals to us. 
So we're ready for you, Teddy, but take my good advice, 
Though sin is really naughty, we find it really nice, 
So, when you come to speak to us in Providence's name, 
Give the goby to the Sunday chapel missionary game." 

The ordeal perhaps was most trying as the Colonel stood alone 
facing the public orator, who in fluent Latin recited the ex-Presi- 
dent's achievements, the galleries alternately applauding with in- 
dorsement or mischievousness. He said: "Mr. Roosevelt is a 
friend of peace and a friend of the human race. 

MR. ROOSEVELT, THE MIGHTY HUNTER, EULOGIZED 

" He has waged war on the wild beasts of the forest, whether 
denizens of his own Rocky Mountains or of the land described by 
Horace as the nurse of lions. His courage has been witnessed by 
Africa, whence he has lately returned with spoils won in British 
dominions. His fame has since been attested by Europe, which has 
received him with royal honors during his splendid progress from 
Italy to Scandinavia. Colonel Roosevelt is a faithful friend of the 
British Empire and of all good men throughout the world." 

After a tour of inspection of the buildings and grounds the 
Colonel was a guest of Cambridge Union, a student club, where the 
enthusiastic reception so enthused him that he made a half -hour 
instead of a five-minute speech, as planned. 

He covered a wide range of topics, from football and lions to 
good citizenship and the strenuous life. He wished that Americans 
could learn from Cambridge how to make football less homicidal. 

Theodore Roosevelt startled the whole world when, in ancient 
Guild Hall, replying to a speech giving him the freedom of the city 
of London, he admonished England that its rule in Egypt was not 
what it should be, declaring with emphasis that " you have erred 
and it is for you to make good." 

Throughout his speech, which caused much surprise, the Colonel 



376 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 

gave England some bold advice as to her duty toward her most 
troublesome dependency in Africa. It was, he said, either right or 
not right for Great Britain to be in Egypt and establish order there. 
'If it was not right she should get out. 

He declared that Great Britain has given Egypt the best govern- 
ment that the country has had in 2000 years, but in certain vital 
points it had erred. Timidity and sentimentailty, he said, might 
cause more harm than violence and injustice. " Sentimentality," he 
added, " is the most broken reed upon which righteousness can lean." 

Mr. Roosevelt denounced the Nationalist party of Egypt as 
neither desirous nor capable of guaranteeing primary justice. It 
was trying, he said, to bring murderous chaos upon the land. 

THE COLONEL EXPRESSES KINDLY FEELINGS. 

In the course of his speech the Colonel said : " I am especially 
appreciative of to-day's honor because it is a sign of the good-will 
tending to knit speakers of the English language. I prefer to talk 
to-day regarding matters of real concern to you rather than merely 
to express thanks and eulogy. 

" I have recently spent nearly a year under the British-African 
protectorates. Your men in Africa are doing a great work for the 
British Empire and for civilization. The nations which are con- 
quering the savage lands for civilization should work together. 
Mankind is benefited by the French occupation of Algiers and Tunis, 
just as mankind is benefited from England's work in India, which is 
similarly for the interests of civilization. 

" The work that England and Germany is doing in East Africa 
will succeed and the East African highlands can be made any white 
man's country. Every one has benefited since America took posses- 
sion of the Philippines. The East African settlers remind me of 
the frontiersmen that built up the western part of America. They 
are of the same sturdy, fearless type. 

" Regarding Egypt, I speak as an outsider, but this is to your 
advantage, as I speak without national prejudice, and also as a well- 
wisher to the British Empire. I speak not only as an American but 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 377 

as a radical, a real and not a mock democrat, who feels that his first 
thought is bound to be for the welfare of the masses of mankind, 
and who wars against violence and injustice in accordance with the 
principles by which while President I acted toward the Philippines. 

" You treated the Pan-Egyptian movement and religious 
struggles fairly impartially. Instead of acknowledging this, a 
section of the natives took advantage of this treatment for the de- 
velopment of an anti-foreign movement. Premier Boutros Pascha, 
a competent official, an upholder of the British rule and a worker 
for his countrymen, was murdered because of these facts. The 
attitude of the Egyptian Nationalists regarding the murder of 
Boutros shows that they are not only not desirous, but are incapable 
of granting even primary justice. 

THE COLONEL'S PLAIN EXPRESSIONS. 

"If you feel that you ought not to be in Egypt and have no 
desire to keep order there, by all means get out. If you feel that it 
is your duty to civilization to stay, then show yourselves ready to 
meet the responsibility of your position. 

" You saved Egypt from ruin, yet if not governed from the 
outside Egypt will again sink into chaos. Some nation must govern 
Egypt. I hope you will decide that it is your duty to be that nation." 

The body of the magnificent Guildhall was filled by 12.15 
o'clock, when the Lord Mayor, Sir John Knill, and Lady Knill en- 
tered and took seats in the center of the dais. Then the guests of 
honor who filled the dais were announced separately. They included 
many Americans. 

Sir Joseph Dimsdale, the chamberlain of London, then pre- 
sented a copy of the resolution in a gold casket to Colonel Roosevelt. 
After a tribute to the memory of King Edward the chamberlain 
paid a glowing eulogy to Colonel Roosevelt and concluded by present- 
ing him with the casket, at the same time offering him " the right 
hand of fellowship." 

Colonel Roosevelt, who had arisen, grasped the Chamberlain's 
hand and the Colonel, with notes in his hands, commenced his ad- 



378 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 

dress, first referring to the suddenness of King Edward's death, at 
whose funeral, he said, he had the high honor to represent the 
American people. The address occupied forty-eight minutes in its 
delivery. 

A few presentations of those present were then made to the 
Colonel, after which Lord Mayor Knill and the Colonel, preceded 
by the city swordbearer, the mace bearers and the reception com- 
mittee and followed by the company that had been seated on the dais, 
left the hall and drove to the Mansion House for luncheon. 

The Colonel, with Ambassador Reid on his left, rode in the 
Lord Mayor's semi-state carriage drawn by four horses. The Lord 
Mayor's famous fat coachman, in his cocked hat, plush breeches, silk 
stockings, plush coat and white wig, sat on the driver's box. 

A COMMENT FROM THE " MORNING POST." 

The London Morning Post, in commenting on Colonel Roose- 
velt's speech said : " The people of this country are grateful for the 
friendly appreciation expressed by Mr. Roosevelt in Guildhall of 
the way the British public servants administer the regions intrusted 
to their care in British East Africa, Uganda and Egyptian Soudan. 

" Colonel Roosevelt had also a criticism to convey and a sug- 
gestion to make that is a delicate task for a guest and an outside 
observer. He grappled with it in the only possible way. He ex- 
plained that he felt debarred from any expression that would be 
other than sincere. 

" Mr. Roosevelt thinks the British Government is too tender- 
hearted in its dealings with Egypt, and he thinks the so-called Na- 
tionalist agitation receives too much toleration, and that it should be 
kept down with a strong hand.' 

The London Times said : " It would show a sad lack of humor, 
but then a great many among us are deficient in that saving grace, to 
take in bad part criticism which is sincere. Well informed beyond 
all question and thoroughly friendly, Mr. Roosevelt has reminded us 
in a most kindly way of what we are at least in danger of forgetting 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 379 

and no impatience of outside criticism ought to be allowed to divert 
us from considering the substantial truth of his words." 

Colonel Roosevelt was the only guest at a luncheon given in 
his honor the following day by the Irish Party at Carlton House. 
The original scheme was to entertain him in the House of Commons 
when the whole party could be present, but the adjournment of 
Parliament made this impossible. 

John Redmond occupied the toastmaster's chair. There were 
also present John Dillon, T. P. O'Connor, Joseph Develin and 
fourteen other members of the Irish party. The table was decor- 
ated with Irish flags and floral designs of Irish harps and Teddy 
bears. Each person, including the Colonel, wore a buttonhole 
bouquet of shramrock and violets. 

Mr. Redmond welcomed the Colonel as a life-long friend of the 
Irish people. In replying, the ex-President said there was another 
tie between them, the tie of blood, for he was partly of Irish descent. 
He also said in the Cuban campaign the Irish soldiers were among 
the best in his regiment and that in his Cabinet there had been 
several men of Irish descent. 

" THEODORE ROOSEVELT AS CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE WORLD." 

This is the lifework, which the logic of events and the known 
course of international affairs are preparing for our great ex-Pre- 
sident. 

To this end, his trip abroad has been directed. 

To this end, Secretary Knox launched his proposal for a per- 
manent international tribunal now accepted by all the Powers. 

To further this, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs at 
Washington, on June 2, favorably acted on a resolution proposing a 
special commission of five members to endeavor, by a mission 
abroad, to unite foreign nations in a common effort, first to limit 
navies, and, second, by international agreement to constitute "the 
combined navies of the world as an international force for the 
preservation of universal peace." 

Many Representatives in Congress would like Colonel Roose* 



380 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 

velt tG accept the presidency of the proposed Peace Commission. 
The real negotiations for international peace gravitate by certain and 
inevitable steps towards the selection of Theodore Roosevelt as the 
first " Chief Justice " of the world's first permanent international 
court. 

Such a court is now certain. This is settled. Details are un- 
decided. Even so important a matter as the precise number of 
Powers to be represented in the court has yet to be determined. A 
denial would be as yet easy as to any positive assertion, beyond the 
broad fact that such a court is now accepted by every Power whom 
Senator Knox asked to agree to a permanent international tribunal. 

PROVISION OF THE HAGUE CONFERENCE. 

The first Hague Conference provided for the machinery by 
which a list of arbitrators, two from each country, was provided, 
from which a Peace Court could be selected when needed. The 
second Hague Conference left this machinery unchanged, but added, 
the United States proposing and Germany adding its powerful in- 
fluence, a permanent admirality court, ready to act as a tribunal of 
last resort when war came. 

Secretary Knox proposed to seven Powers, England, France, 
Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Italy and Japan, a permanent 
arbitral court, each Power to name two members who will always 
be ready to hear cases and to be organized like other courts, with a 
docket, rules and a recognized procedure. 

The colossal fact which ever-reaches all the rest and brings the 
world nearer peace than at any time in the History of Man, is that 
the Powers whose common action now governs the world and 
renders the opposition of any lesser power ridiculous, have agreed 
on a permanent court along Secretary Knox's lines, details to be 
decided later. 

Germany was expected to refuse and Germany was almost the 
first power to accept " in principle." France accepted, but desired 
changes in the way in which ihe judges were selected so as to take 
care of the interests of the lesser powers. 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND 311 

With Spain, France now has close treaty relations which render 
it necessary for French diplomacy to consider the Spanish dignity 
and punctilio. Italy followed Germany and France. 

England is friendly to the proposal, but waits on the action of 
its Eastern ally, Japan. Japan's acceptance is certain when the final 
decision comes, because no one Power can stay out when the United 
States, Germany, France and Italy are agreed and Russia has added 
her assent, with Austria-Hungary practically included in the accept- 
ance of Germany. 

The formal proposal that Colonel Roosevelt be named for this 
post is believed to come from Germany. It matters little which 
Power speaks. The logic of events names Roosevelt. Beyond any 
other man, the world over, he is in line for the place. He satisfies 
Germany, and neither England nor France can object. Both would 
welcome him. No European can be named as Chief Justice for 
this post, for jealousies are too acute. Neither Russia nor Japan 
can object to the man who made peace between them. 

MR. ROOSEVELT FOR PEACE AND ARBITRATION. 

Theodore Roosevelt is no lawyer. No one ever charged him 
with being that. He is a man after the Kaiser's own heart. While 
Roosevelt is for peace and arbitration, the monarchs and generals 
commanding, feel that they "can do business with him." He 
brought peace between Japan and Russia, with energy and decision, 
but without ruffling a hair of either. He would not let Japan ask 
for too much. He made Russia concede enough. Neither lost in 
dignity. 

At Panama, in Santo Domingo and in lesser international 
issues, Theodore Roosevelt satisfied Europe that he had no small 
scruples about getting things done, when great ends were in view 
for civilization and order. At the head of an international court 
he could view issues and disputed questions as a statesman called to 
grave responsibilities and not as do lawyer and judges, called solely 
to pass on the law between individuals. 

Every man in Washington who knows affairs, every diplomat, 



382 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 

every one called to international issues, sees in Theodore Roosevelt 
the one man who comes from a free, self-governing country and yet 
would be accepted by the Rulers of great countries. 

All Roosevelt's trip has been directed to this end. Read in 
the light of this proposition and this future post, how masterly are 
his speeches ! The peace-loving people have got to accept the great 
peacemaker. 

His speeches at Cairo and Guildhall on Egypt have stilled all 
fear among the colony-holding nations that the new international 
court might be used to raise issues as to subject nations. At Berlin, 
Germany, Roosevelt had a good word for compulsory military ser- 
vice and standing armies. At Paris he saw in France the world's 
intellectual leadership. The dread of the small lands he has stilled 
by his utterance on international peace and arbitration at Stock- 
holm. He invoked a great past at Rome and the industrial future 
at Brussels, with a few judicious words which showed he had no 
prejudices regarding the Congo. 

This would be a life position. It would carry a salary com- 
mensurate with its importance. What is of far more weight in 
dignity, in world-wide influence, in historic prestige and in genuine 
importance and actual power, nothing would equal it. 

Much on the court has yet to be settled. The smaller powers 
are certain to protest. Powers with great territorial possession like 
Holland and Belgium are certain to protest. All South America 
will be loud in objection. The United States wishes no disorder 
there. 

AN ENGLISH ESTIMATE OF ROOSEVELT. 

The British Weekly thus speaks of our ex-President, whose 
visit to Europe has touched the hearts of the people, both high and 
low, in such a remarkable degree : 

' The attraction of Mr. Roosevelt is that he is America in the 
flesh. When he speaks the American nation speaks. Therefore 
we in Europe pay him heed, as we ought to, for the attitude of the 
American people concerns us all. Red-blooded, warm-hearted, 
reckless and wise, fierce and kind, a man of the world in the best 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 383 

sense, with high ethical standards and sincere religious convictions, 
Mr. Roosevelt does honor to a country where he is beyond com- 
parison the most outstanding man, and of which, to all appearance, 
he might be, if he chose, President for life. Mr. Roosevelt is a 
true friend of peace, though very far removed from Quaker prin- 
ciples. There is something wholesome, breezy, and invigorating 
in his talk, whether one agrees with him or not. All that his critics 
can say is that he speaks platitudes, but platitudes need to be spoken 
till they are carried into practice." 

Colonel Roosevelt's addresses since his return from the wilds 
of Africa have been a great contribution to the moral forces of the 
present time. He has spoken under circumstances not given to any 
other man, and he said the best things in every place, who else 
than he could have spoken as he has done? 

On June 7th Colonel Roosevelt was the guest of the University 
of Oxford, where he delivered his Romanes lecture, and the Uni- 
versity conferred upon him the honorary degree of doctor of civil 

law. 

THE LECTURE AND CONFERMENT. 

The lecture and the conferment constituted the main feature of 
the day, but it did not complete the program, which was as crowded 
as any that the distinguished American had undertaken in his 
European travels. 

Oxford was glad to see our former President and made the 
fact known. First there was a reception given by the Mayor of 
the corporation at the town hall. The auditorium was filled to its 
limits, and when the guests appeared the audience joined in singing 
" For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." 

From the town hall the Colonel made hurried visits to the lead- 
ing colleges and to other places of historic interest. 

He was entertained at luncheon by the American Club, leaving 
soon afterwards for the Sheldonian Theater for his lecture and the 
ceremonies that aded a D. C. L. to the other honorary titles that 
have been bestowed upon him. 

The Colonel's subject was " Biological Analogies in History." 



384 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 

He said : " An American who, in response to such an invitation as 1 
have received, speaks in this university of ancient renown cannot 
but feel with peculiar vividness the interest and charm of his sur- 
roundings, fraught as they are with a thousand associations. Your 
great universities, and all the memories that make them great, are 
living realities in the minds of thousands of men who have never 
seen them and who dwell across the seas in other lands. Moreover, 
these associations are no stronger in the men of English stock than 
in those who are not. 

" My people have been for eight generations in America ; but 
in one thing I am like the Americans of to-morrow rather than like 
the many of the Americans of to-day, for I have in my veins the 
blood of men who came from many different European races. The 
athnic make-up of our people is slowly changing, so that constantly 
the race tends to become more and more akin to that of those 
Americans who, like myself, are of the old stock but not mainly of 
English stock. 

MUTUAL RESPECT, UNDERSTANDING AND SYMPATHY. 

" Yet I think that, as time goes by, mutual respect, understand- 
ing, and sympathy among the English-speaking peoples grow 
greater and not less. Any of my ancestors, Hollander or Hugue- 
not, Scotchman or Irishman, who had come to Oxford in ' the spac- 
ious days of great Queen Elizabeth,' would have felt far more 
alien than I, their descendant, now feel. Common heirship in the 
things of the spirit makes a closer bond than common heirship in 
things of the body. 

" More than ever before in the world's history, we of to-day 
seek to penetrate the causes of the mysteries that surround not only 
mankind but all life, both in the present and the past. We search, 
we peer, we see things dimly ; here and there we get a ray of clear 
vision as we look before and after. 

" We study the tremendous procession of the ages, from the 
immemorial past when in ' cramp elf and saurian forms ' the creative 
forces ' swathed their too-much power,' down to the yesterday, a 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 38:1 

few thousand years distant only, when the history of man became 
the overwhelming fact in the history of life on this planet; and, 
studying, we see strange analogies in the phenomena of life and 
death, of birth, growth, and change. 

" It is this study which has given science its present-day prom- 
inence. In the world of intellect, doubtless the most marked fea- 
tures in the history of the past century have been the extraordinary 
advances in scientific knowledge and investigation and in the posi- 
tion held by the men of science with reference to those engaged in 
other pursuits. 

" I am not now speaking of applied science — of the science, for 
instance, which, having revolutionized transportation on the earth 
and the water, is now on the brink of carrying it into the air ; of the 
science that finds its expression in such extraordinary achievements 
as the telephone and the telegraph; of the sciences which have so 
accelerated the velocity of movement in social and industrial condi- 
tions — for the changes in the mechanical appliances of ordinary life 
during the last three generations have been greater than in all the 
preceding generations since history dawned. 

SCIENCE CONTROLLED BY CONDITIONS. 

" I speak of the science which has no more direct bearing upon 
the affairs of our every-day life than literature or music, painting 
or sculpture, poetry or history. 

" Now I am willing that history shall be treated as a branch of 
science, but only on condition that it also remains a branch of 
literature; and, furthermore, I believe that as the field of science 
encroaches on the field of literature, there should be a corresponding 
encroachment of literature upon science; and I hold that one of the 
great needs, which can only be met by very able men whose culture is 
broad enough to include literature as well as science, is the need of 
books for scientific laymen. We need a literature of science which 
shall be readable. 

" So far from doing away with the school of great historians, 
the school of Polybius and Tacitus, Gibbon and Macaulay, we need 

25— T. K. 



386 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 

merely that the future writers of history, without losing the qualities 
which have made those men great, shall also utilize the new facts 
and new methods which science has put at their disposal. 

" Rome fell by attack from without, only because the ills within 
her own borders had grown incurable. What is true of your coun- 
try, my hearers, is true of my own; while we should be vigilant 
against foes from without, yet we need never really fear them so 
long as we safe-guard ourselves against the enemies within our own 
households; and these enemies are our own passions and follies. 
Free peoples can escape being mastered by others only by being able 
to master themselves. 

INTERNATIONAL INTERESTS INVOLVED. 

"We, Americans, and you people of the British Isles, alike, need 
ever to keep in mind that, among the many qualities indispensable 
to the success of a great democracy, and second only to a high and 
stern sense of duty, of moral obligation, are self-knowledge and self- 
mastery. You, my hosts, and I may not agree in all our views ; some 
of you would think me a very radical democrat — as, for the matter 
of that, I am ; and my theory of imperialism would probably suit the 
anti-imperialists as little as it would suit a certain type of feeble 
imperialist. But there are some points on which we must all agree 
if e think soundly. 

" The precise form of government, democratic or otherwise, is 
the instrument, the tool, with which we work. It is important to 
have a good tool. But, even if it is the best possible, it is only a tool. 
No implement can ever take the place of the guiding intelligence 
that wields it. 

" There are questions that we of the great civilized nations are- 
ever tempted to ask of the future. Is our time of growth drawing 
to an end ? Are we as nations soon to come under the rule of that 
great law of death which is itself but part of the great law of life? 
None can tell. Forces that we can see and other forces that are 
hidden or that can but dimly be apprehended are at work all around 
us, both for good and for evil. 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 387 

* After the French Revolution in 1830, Niebuhr hazarded the 
guess that all civilization was about to go down with a crash, that 
we were all about to share the fall of third and fourth century. 
Rome — a respectable but painfully overworked comparison. The 
fears once expressed by the followers of Malthus as to the future of 
the world have proved groundless as regards the civilized portion of 
the world; it is strange indeed to look back at Carlyle's prophecies 
of some seventy years ago, and then think of the teeming life of 
achievement, the life of conquest of every kind, and of noble effort 
crowned by success, which has been ours for the two generations 
since he complained to high Heaven that all the tales had been told 
and all the songs sung, and that all the deeds really worth doing had 
been done. 

A NATION'S REVITALIZATION. 

"A nation that seemingly dies may be born again; and even 
though in the physical sense it die utterly, it may yet hand down a 
history of heroic achievement, and for all time to come may pro- 
foundly influence the nations that arise in its place by the impress of 
what it has done. Best of all is it to do our part well, and at the 
same time to see our blood live young and vital in men and women 
fit to take up the task as we lay it down ; for so shall our seed inherit 
the earth. 

" While freely admitting all of our follies and weaknesses of 
to-day, it is yet mere perversity to refuse to realize the incredible 
advance that has been made in ethical standards. I do not believe 
that there is the slightest necessary connection between any awaken- 
ing of virile force and this advance in the moral standard, this 
growth of the sense of obligation to one's neighbor and of reluctance 
to do that neighbor wrong. 

" Every modern civilized nation has many and troublesome 
problems to solve within its own borders, problems that arise not 
merely from juxtaposition of poverty and riches, but especially from 
the self-consciousness of both poverty and riches. Each nation 
must deal with these matters in its own fashion, and yet the spirit in 



388 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 

which the problem is approached must ever be fundamentally the 
same. 

" It must be a spirit of broad humanity; of brotherly kindness; 
of acceptance of responsibility, one for each and each for all; and 
and at the same time a spirit as remote as the poles from every form 
of weakness and sentimentality. 

" As in war to pardon the coward is to do cruel wrong to the 
brave man whose life his cowardice jeopardizes, so in civil affairs it 
is revolting to every principle of justice to give to the lazy, the 
vicious, or even the feeble and dull-witted, a reward which is really 
the robbery of what braver, wiser, abler men have earned. 

SPECIAL PROBLEMS AND SPECIAL DUTIES OF OUR OWN. 

" But in addition to these problems the most intimate and im- 
portant of all which to a larger or less degree affect all the modern 
nations somewhat alike, we of the great nations that have expanded, 
that are now in complicated relations with one another and with 
alien races, have special problems and special duties of our own. 

" You belong to a nation which possesses the greatest empire 
upon which the sun has ever shone. I belong to a nation which is 
trying, on a scale hitherto unexampled, to work out the problems 
of government for, of, and by the people, while at the same time 
doing the international duty of a great Power. But there are cer- 
tain problems which both of us have to solve, and as to which our 
standards should be the same. 

" The Englishman, the man of the British Isles, in his various 
homes across the seas, and the American, both at home and abroad, 
are brought into contact with utterly alien peoples, some with a 
civilization more ancient than our own, others still in, or having 
recently arisen from, the barbarism which our people left behind 
years ago. 

" This is what our peoples have in the main done, and must con- 
tinue to do, in India, Egypt, and the Philippines alike. In the next 
place, as regards every race, everywhere, at home or abroad, we 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 389 

cannot afford to deviate from the great rule of righteousness which 
bids us treat each man on his worth as a man. 

" This has nothing to do with social intermingling, with what 
is called social equality. It has to do merely with the question of 
doing to each man and each woman that elementary justice which 
will permit him or her to gain from life the reward which should 
always accompany thrift, sobriety, self-control, respect for the rights 
of others, and hard and intelligent work to a given end. 

" The foreign policy of a great and self-respecting country 
should be conducted on exactly the same plane of honor, of insistence 
upon one's own rights and of a respect for the rights of others, as 
when a brave and honorable man is dealing with his fellows. 

THE COLONEL'S PERSONAL HONOR. 

" Permit me to support this statement out of my own experi- 
ence. For nearly eight years I was the head of a great nation and 
charged especially with the conduct of its foreign policy; and during 
those years I took no action with reference to any other people on 
the face of the earth that I would not have felt justified in taking as 
an individual in dealing with other individuals. 

" I believe that we, of the great civilized nations of to-day, 
have a right to feel that long careers of achievement lie before our 
several countries. To each of us is vouchsafed the honorable privi- 
lege of doing his part, however small, in that work. 

" Let us strive heartily for success, even if by so doing we risk 
failure, spurning the poorer souls of small endeavor who know 
neither failure nor success. Let us hope that our own blood shall 
continue in the land, that our children and children's children to 
endless generations shall rise to take our places and play a mighty 
and dominant part in the world. But whether this be denied or 
granted by the years we shall not see, let at least the satisfaction be 
ours that we have carried onward the lighted torch in our own day 
and generation. 

" If we do this, then, as our eyes close, and we go out into the 



390 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 

darkness, and other hands grasp the torch, at least we can say that 
our part has been borne well and valiantly." 

There were more applications for admission to hear Colonel 
Roosevelt's lecture at Oxford than when Mr. Gladstone gave the 
first Romanes lecture and the theatre was fuller than when Prof. 
Huxley gave the second lecture or when Mr. Balfour gave the 
lecture in November, 1909. 

As Colonel Roosevelt stood before the chancellor, Lord Curzon, 
the latter addressed three Latin hexameters to him, which trans- 
lated were: 

" Behold, vice-chancellor, the promised wright 
Before whose coining comets turned to flight 
And all the startled mouths of sevenfold Nile took fright." 

Lord Curzon then addressed Colonel Roosevelt, his first word 
" strenuissime " being declaimed in an indescribably whimsical 
fashion, which brought a roar of laughter. The address was spoken 
in Latin. It may be translated : 

LORD CURZON'S ADDRESS. 

" Most strenuous of men, most distinguished of citizens to-day 
playing a part on the stage of the world, you who have twice admin- 
istered with purity the first magistracy of the great republic and may 
perhaps administer it a third time, peer of most august kings, queller 
of men, destroyer of monsters, wherever found, yet most human of 
mankind, deeming nothing indifferent to you, not even the blackest 
of the black, I by my authority and that of the whole University 
admit you to the degree of doctor of civil law, honoris causa." 

Colonel Roosevelt's last day in England was one of seclusion 
and rest. He was the guest of Sir Edward Grey at the latter's 
home in Hampshire and together the two tramped through New 
Forest, the ancient royal hunting grounds, rich in its fauna and flora, 
and of absorbing interest to entomologists. 

In characteristic fashion Colonel Roosevelt deprived Londoners 
of the opportunity of giving him a sendoff . Before the people were 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 391 

aware of his intention he had left the city, and not a dozen persons 
knew the time or the manner of his departure. 

When the Colonel arrived at Southampton in the morning he 
immediately joined his family and then the entire party went to the 
steamship dock. There was a large crowd waiting, and he was 
greeted by the Mayor and the Sheriff of Southampton. To the 
Mayor the former President said : 

" I would like to express through you, Mr. Mayor, my thanks 
to the people of this country for the way in which I have been re- 
ceived and to say what pleasant memories I shall always retain of 
the last portion of my sojourn in England. 

" Of course, it was begun under the saddest of circumstances. 
When I came as the representative of my people to express their 
sympathy for your country in its hour of affliction I was glad to 
have the chance of being the American representative here at such 
a time ; and since then your people have received me with such cor- 
dial and courteous hospitality that I cannot sufficiently express my 
appreciation in words." 

After cordial farewells to Sir Edward Grey, Lieutenant Colonel 
Arthur H. Lee, formerly Military Attache of the British Embassy 
at Washington, and other friends who had come to say good-by, the 
Roosevelts embarked upon a tender and were carried out to the 
Kaiserin Auguste Victoria. The vessel sailed soon after they had 
gone aboard. 

ROOSEVELT MADE " HIT " AS STOKER ON OCEAN LINER. 

Every one of the great number of people aboard the huge 
Kaiserin Auguste Victoria had a chance to see and hear Colonel 
Roosevelt. 

On June 15, he completed his round of the ship by a visit to 
the stokehold where he grasped the grimy hands of the stokers 
and chatted with them as though they were the crew of his own 
private yacht. 

The visit to the stokehold was one of the most interesting 
events of the trip, and the stokers did their best to show their 



392 COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 

appreciation of the honor. Those who were on the off shift tidied 
themselves up as much as possible, but Roosevelt seemed even 
more anxious to shake the hands of those who were actually 
engaged in feeding the huge furnaces. As one of these laid down 
his shovel, Roosevelt grabbed it up and showed that he knew 
something about the knack of stoking by " sifting " several shovels 
of coal over the glowing bed of coals. 

The stokers cheered the Colonel heartily when they saw that 
he was " one of them." The captain of the ship accompanied the 
colonel on his rounds through the stokehold. 

After his visit below he held an informal reception on deck 
for the first and second class passengers. This with his visit to 
the steerage on the preceding Sunday, cleaned up the colonel's 
reception list. All aboard ship claimed personal acquaintance 
with their distinguished fellow passenger. 

The Colonel's Guildhall speech led to a long discussion of 
Egyptian affairs in the House of Commons on June 13, the Con- 
servatives demanding to know what course the Ministers proposed 
to pursue, and some of the members denouncing what they termed 
Mr. Roosevelt's interference. 

Arthur J. Balfour, leader of the Opposition, expressed warm 
appreciation of Mr. Roosevelt's sympathetic and kindly treatment 
of the subject. There was nothing in the speech, he said, to 
which the most sensitive Briton could take exception. The situa. 
tion in Egypt, he declared, called for prompt action, and he hoped 
the government would take steps to give support to the British 
representatives there, without which they will be helpless. 

Sir Edward Grey, the Foreign Secretary, replying to the 
criticisms in behalf of the Government, announced that Mr. 
Roosevelt's speech had been communicated to him before it was 
delivered. He had seldom listened to a speech with greater 
pleasure. Its friendly intention, he said, was obvious, and, taken 
as a whole, it was the greatest compliment to the work of ona 
country ever paid by a citizen of another. 



COLONEL ROOSEVELT IN ENGLAND. 393 

" The Daily Mail " printed a long summary of some of the im- 
pressions Colonel Roosevelt derived from his tour as recorded in 
several conversations with a well-known writer. The manner in 
which his Guildhall speech was received convinced Colonel Roose- 
velt that he was fully justified in delivering it. It also increased 
his respect for the nation, which was not too proud to listen to 
criticism as well as praise. He expressed warm admiration for the 
public men he met and of the attitude of the nation. 

So long as British public men keep their high ideals of public 
duty and so long as Britons breed a race of tall, straight, clean- 
limbed men and gentle, sweet-faced women, Colonel Roosevelt said 
he would not heed the rumors of creeping paralysis and would not 
believe that the British empire was anywhere near an end. 

The Colonel declared that all over Europe he found evidence 
that ethical standards were higher probably than ever was known 
before. Ideas which are religious in the highest sense are spread- 
ing. The rulers of every land were inspired by noble purposes and 
a strong sense of duty of which very few examples could be drawn 
from earlier times. 

Regarding Colonel Roosevelt's future the correspondent said: 
" The Colonel intends to work away quietly at his conservation 
policies. He has no intention to live in the public eye, and if it were 
left to himself to decide he would not think of a third Presidential 
term as even a possibility. The question is whether the people of 
the United States will not decide it for him. 

" He would be quite content to live his life quietly and happily 
in his home and with his friends. With a thousand interests to 
keep his mind active and his sympathies keen no man was ever less 
dependent upon the excitement and rewards of public life. He 
could do without them perfectly well." 

The correspondent, however, found it inconceivable that the 
world would not make further demands upon such a man. He con- 
cluded enthusiastically: "If America were so unappreciative of 
greatness as not to call on him further, let us have him back in 
Europe." 



CHAPTER XXX 
NATION GREETS COLONEL ROOSEVELT. 

Reception Unequalled in Country's History Accorded Re- 
turning Hero — Millions Cheer Him — Guns Roar — 
Whistles Shriek Grand Greetings on Land and Water 
— Pageants Mark His Triumphant Return. 

THEODORE ROOSEVELT, the most distinguished citizen of 
the United States, is once more at home. He was received 
at New York with the nearest approach we can arrange to the tri- 
umphs with which Rome honored its generals on returning from a 
conquest of the world. Theodore Roosevelt has stirred Africa and 
Asia and has conquered Europe and the American people could not 
with self-respect pay less honors to their most striking representa- 
tive and embodiment than he had received from foreigners. 

The people like him. They like him for his frankness, his 
colloquial language, his free and easy air, his lack of conventionality 
and ceremony and officialism. Perhaps they liked him best of all 
because the national traits are uncommonly well developed in him. 
He presents strikingly the national virtues. He is strong, breezy, 
good humored and quick in resentment, informal and can on occa- 
sions be chiding and reproving. 

Mr. Roosevelt's popularity is enormous and it is deserved. It 
is creditable to the American people that they like him, even if he 
has limitations, and some of them rather conspicuous. He was 
honored in Europe because he was an ex-President of the United 
States, but they liked him personally. LTndeniably he made a tre- 
mendous impression all the way from Cairo to Oxford. He added 
to our national prestige. 

Mr. Roosevelt is a man of great force and of uncommonly 

likable qualities. His countrymen are proud of him and they are 

immensely pleased that he made so much of a sensation in Europe. 

39 i 



NATION GREETS COLONEL ROOSEVELT. :;93 

The following appeared in the editorial column of the New 
York Times: " New York's welcome to the returning: ex- ['resident 
of the United States will fitly represent the feeling of the whole 
country for its most illustrious citizen. Whatever of political pur- 
pose may underlie the great civic demonstration, there is no doubt 
of the sincerity of the public's esteem and affection for Mr. Roose- 
velt, which it so vociferously demonstrated. His compatriots are 
not all of one mind as to his ability as a constructive statesman, and 
the value of his services to the Nation. But while his faults may 
be obvious, his merits are equally clear, and they are of a kind that 
appeals strongly to the sentiment of the American multitude. 

THE COLONEL UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO THE PRESS. 

" As for the publicity accorded the world over to every act and 
utterance of the ex-President, it is only fair to say that he has done 
much more for the newspaper press than the press has ever done for 
him. He is the most alert, interesting, and conspicuous private 
citizen in the world. He is accounted by many the greatest man 
of his era in this country, by some enthusiasts the greatest in its 
history, and he has won this superlative measure of esteem, not by 
any deliberate bid for public approval, not by craftily ministering 
to supposed popular prejudice, but by his broad humanity, his un- 
questionable patriotism, the wholesome cleanliness of his life, his 
mental as well as physical vigor, and his courage. Few can help 
sharing in the enthusiasm of his welcome. 

" Mr. Roosevelt has been absent nearly fifteen months. Much 
of this time was spent in the African wilds amid the rigors of 
primitive life which few of his fellow-citizens would care to en- 
counter. He has since been received with tremendous acclaim in 
nearly every European State, and, unlike most travelers, has been 
giving rather than receiving impressions. His utterances have 
been eagerly heard and widely reported. The small amount of 
hostile criticism, of equally small importance, inspired by his im- 
pulsive speaking has been lost in a great chorus of praise. 

" Academic and civic honors have been showered upon him, 



39fl NATION GREETS COLONEL ROOSEVELT. 

and, although he has borne himself always as the plain American 
citizen, he has received the tribute generally paid in Europe only to 
royalty. No other citizen has ever caused such a furor abroad. 
Yet except for a few startling sentences in his speeches at Cairo 
and at the Guildhall in London, he has expressed only those ideas of 
human progress and the requirements of modern civilization he has 
often expressed before, and has been, in every aspect, the Roosevelt 
we have known so long. 

" Politics, as we have said, played but an insignificant part in 
his reception. The programme of the ceremony had been in pre- 
paration a long time, to be sure. But the enthusiasm displayed was 
not of the quality that can be artificially stimulated. We must take 
it as a spontaneous outpouring of popular feeling. 

COMMENT OF A WELL-KNOWN PHILADELPHIA EDITOR. 

The following article was written by a well-known Philadelphia 
editor: " It is no exaggeration to say that the eyes of the nation are 
turned toward New York. It is equally within the truth to say that 
the sturdy, vigorous American whose home-coming was marked 
by such an outburst of tumultuous enthusiasm has even a greater 
degree of popularity and influence among the masses of his own 
countrymen than when he left the soil of this Republic on the tour 
which has taken him over half the world. 

" Absence has not diminished his prestige, but increased it. 
Whether Roosevelt has been facing lions in Africa, meeting mon- 
archs in Europe, or admonishing distinguished audiences in the older 
centres of civilization, his acts and words have been keenly noted 
by a large majority of the nation over which he presided as Chief 
Magistrate. Distance has magnified his personality, emphasized 
the aggressive virility which is his foremost characteristic, and added 
to the interest with which he has been regarded. 

" This is an undeniable fact. It cannot be questioned by those 
who oppose his policies and condemn his methods as a public leader. 
It is accepted with jubilation by the enormously greater host of 
those who attach little importance to errors that he has committed, 



NATION GREETS COLONEL ROOSEVELT. 397 

but who look upon him as the champion of the rights of the common 
people, the determined foe of unjust privilege, and the militant 
exemplar of civic righteousness. It is a remarkable position which 
Roosevelt occupies and one that has great opportunities for useful 
service." 

The New York greeters poured into New York City by the 
thousands. New York never really knows when it is crowded. 
That is why the resident who strolls the streets casually doesn't 
know that the town is filling up like a balloon. 

Down in the Wall Street section were hundreds of a decidedly 
Western aspect sauntering through streets where the New Yorker 
always feels that it is necessary for him to walk at a third sped clip. 
They were seen also, thousands of them, in upper Broadway and 
Fifth Avenue. 

The clerks of the Fifth Avenue hotels had their troubles. All 
the clubs from out of town wanted outside room's in the Fifth 
Avenue hotels, and they wanted rooms on the lower floors. It was 
not their purpose to stand in line along the curb as the Colonel passes. 
It was their intention to greet him joyously from the windows, from 
which they waved flags and sent forth wild yells of greeting. 

THE ROUGH RIDERS' HEADQUARTERS. 

The Rough Riders, strangely enough, were quartered in the 
staid Buckingham, at Fiftieth Street and Fifth Avenue. The 
Buckingham is what one might term a hotel of the old school. The 
wild and breezy atmosphere that the Rough Riders bring with them 
appeared strangely out of place in this placid place of abode. 

Fifty former members of the Rough Riders swept into the 
hotel as if they were charging up San Juan Hill again. Twenty- 
five, including Colonel " Aleck " O. Brodie, of St. Paul, Minn., who 
succeeded Colonel Roosevelt as commander of the regiment, arrived 
in advance of the others, and there were some fifty or more who 
live in and near New York. They were all there, and such a round 
of handshaking the hotel clerks admit they never saw before. San 
Juan Hill was recaptured a dozen times between 6 and 1 1 o'clock. 



398 NATION GREETS COLONEL ROOSEVELT. 

Captain Arthur F. Cosby, in the dual capacity of a Rough 
Rider and secretary of the Roosevelt Reception Committee, was on 
hand with Colonel Brodie to welcome the newcomers, most of whom 
had arrived on the special car in which they traveled from St. Louis. 
They stopped over in Washington a few hours to meet President 
Taft. 

The newcomers had some rare experiences to tell when they 
had begun to unbosom themselves. But the talk lingered longest 
about Theodora, the new daughter of the regiment, less than forty- 
eight hours old, with a bank account of $41. This is how she came 
to be the daughter of the regiment : 

While the train was speeding east between St. Louis and Cin- 
cinnati a baby girl was born in the coach just ahead of that bringing 
the Rough Riders. Several of the wives of the Rough Riders heard 
the news, and " Bill " McGinty, described by Colonel Roosevelt as 
the best broncho-buster in the world; Louis Maverick, of San 
Antonio, Texas, whose father gave his name to unbranded cattle, 
and a lot of the others formed a committee to start the young woman 
in life with a bank account. 

AN ADOPTED BABY GIRL IS NAMED "THEODORA." 
When the wives of the Rough Riders conveyed the purse to the 
mother and told her the Rough Riders wanted to adopt the little 
pink stranger and name her Theodora in honor of the great 
' Theodore," the mother sent back w T ord that she would be " de- 
lighted." 

Many of the Rough Riders wrung the hand of Warren Crockett 
until his knuckles cracked. Crockett is a deputy collector of internal 
revenue in Marietta, Ga., and for the eleven years since the war has 
been chasing moonshiners in the mountains of that State. He 
arrived in New York ten days in advance of the Colonel's arrival, 
and went to Yonkers to visit some friends, when he was taken ill. 
They put him in a hospital, and the doctor told him he was still 
suffering from the effects of the yellow fever he caught in Cuba, 
with a touch of appendicitis. 



NATION GREETS COLONEL ROOSEVELT. 399 

" But I am going to ride in that parade on Saturday," Crockett 
told the doctor. But the doctor said if he did it might kill him. 

" I lay there two or three days," Crockett said in telling about 
it, " and then when the doctor wasn't about and the nurses weren't 
over watchful I slipped on my clothes and here I am. And I am 
going to ride in that parade if it does kill me." 

Among those at the Buckingham was Captain Martin Crim- 
mins, U. S. A., son of John D. Crimmins, of New York. Captain 
Crimmins, who is an old Rough Rider, was on his way to Alaska, 
where he has been ordered by the Secretary of War on special duty. 

And then there was Guilford Chapin. 

" Look at that little cuss. He was the oldest man in the regi- 
ment. Look at the beard on him. We called him grandfather," 
said one Rough Rider. 

OLDEST MAN IN THE REGIMENT. 

" Yes," said Chapin, " that's my name, G-u-i-1-f-o-r-d Chapin," 
from Nutriosis, Arizona. Yes, sir, I reckon I was the oldest man 
in the regiment. I'm sixty-three now; that makes me fifty-one 
when I went in. But I didn't tell 'em that. I didn't go back to the 
Bible. I gave my military age, forty-two — just right to slip in." 

Among the Rough Riders from New Mexico were former 
Governor George Curry, of New Nexico, who was a captain in the 
regiment; Major W. H. H. Llewellyn, Lieutenant D. J. Leahy and 
Captain Fred Muller. 

Curry had led an active life since the war. He went out to the 
Philippines in the volunteer army, became Governor in turn of three 
provinces, and was chief of police in Manila for three years. He 
-was engaged in writing his reminiscences of the Philippines. 

Captain Muller brought along the flag which was presented by 
the ladies of New Mexico to the second squadron of the regiment. 

"New Mexico furnished more than 300 of the 1,200 Rough 
Riders," said Curry. " It's a pretty long way for our boys to travel 
to get to the reunion, but all the boys would have liked to get here." 

The morning mist hung low over the bay when the Kaiserin 



400 NATION GREETS COLONEL ROOSEVELT. 

Aoguste Victoria, the Hamburg American Liner that bore the 
former President loomed up at Sandy Hook. It was just 6.30 
when the press tug J. K. Gilkinson sighted the incoming steamer, 
and a few minutes afterward a salute of twenty-one guns boomed 
forth from the gray battleship South Carolina. Five torpedo boat 
destroyers, the Flusser, Reid, Smith, Lamson and Preston were 
hovering around as a naval escort for the liner. 

Decked out from stem to stern with flags of every color and 
nation the Kaiserin dropped her anchor off Quarantine at 7.55. 
Another salute for Colonel Roosevelt had boomed from the muzzles 
of Fort Wadsworth, and he stood gazing till the last flicker of smoke 
had died away. 

WELCOMED BY THE RECEPTION COMMITTEE. 

Mr. Roosevelt, Mrs. Roosevelt, Kermit, Theodore, Jr., Mrs. 
Alice Longworth, and Miss Alexander, the fiancee of young Roose- 
velt, with half a dozen intimate friends were in earnest converse on 
the deck of the Manhattan with the returning big game hunter a few 
moments afterward. The committee boat Androscoggin with Cor- 
nelius Vanderbilt and a couple of hundred members of the Reception 
Committee named by Mayor Gaynor was speeding down the bay 
and at 8.45 a gangplank was swung from the Manhattan to the 
committee boat. 

From every point of the compass steamers were coming up to 
witness the debarkation of Colonel Roosevelt from the Manhattan. 
The air reverberated with the shrieks of steam whistles and cheers 
could be heard on every side. All eyes were on the silk-hatted, 
frock-coated figure of Mr. Roosevelt. 

As the gangplank was made fast he looked up and beamed at 
the row of committee members leaning over the Androscoggin's side. 
Suddenly he made a dash t ward Collector Loeb. 

" Hey, Billy, Billy," he cried, startling his former secretary 
with the suddenness of the call, " Don't forget my overcoat." 

A little laugh went round the boats as the faithful Loeb took 
charge of the coat, and then while another salute of twenty-one guns 



NATION GREETS COLONEL ROOSEVELT. 401 

split the ears from the South Carolina, Mr. Roosevelt made his way 
to the deck of the Androscoggin. A cheer that was taken up by- 
thousands of throats on the nearby vessels rang from end to end of 
the committee boat. 

Cornelius Vanderbilt, as chairman of the committee, met the 
home-coming hunter at the starboard gangway. Colonel Roosevelt 
extended his hand, but Mr. Vanderbilt held back for a moment. 

" As chairman of the committee appointed by Mayor Gaynor to 
receive you on your return," said Mr. Vanderbilt in a quiet tone, 
while every other voice on board was stilled, " I have the honor of 
presenting you with this badge on behalf of the committee." 

Mr. Vanderbilt opened a little black case and took out a gold 
medal similar to the badges worn by members of the committee 
This he pinned on the lapel of Mr. Roosevelt's coat, and then he 
shook the Colonel's hand. 

UNABLE TO EXPRESS HIS APPRECIATION. 

The ex-President bared his head and his sun-tanned cheeks 
glowed with pride. With the incisive manner that characterizes 
his speech, punctuated by snaps of his square jaws, he replied : 

" I'm sure I am glad to thank you and to see you. I appreciate 
all the committee has done. I cannot express myself with sufficient 
emphasis and appreciation." 

A volley of cheers marked the end of the little speech and 
Col. Roosevelt was hurried through the surging throng of reporters 
and committee men to the stern of the Androscoggin. There, stand- 
ing under an awning, he began a reception. 

Meantime in the still waters of the harbor there was a great 
churning of screws and paddles and the water parade began to form 
in line. The revenue steamers Calumet and Hudson led the pro- 
cession, and between them, a little astern, came the U. S. steamer 
Dolphin, Secretary Meyer's boat. The battleship South Carolina, 
a great wave rolling from her bow, steamed gray and forbidding 
behind the Dolphin, followed by the torpedo boat destroyers and 
two patrol boats. 

2ft— T.R. 



402 NATION GREETS COLONEL ROOSEVELT. 

When so much of the line had been formed the Androscoggin 
slowly turned her nose toward the North River and set out in pur- 
suit. The revenue steamer Seneca, with another load of committee 
members and a battalion of newspaper men and photographers, 
steamed along behind in line with the Mohawk, another revenue 
steamer, and back of them came the Manhattan with the family and 
intimate friends of Mr. Roosevelt on board. 

That closed the official list of parading vessels, but in a line 
that stretched for miles back of the Manhattan was the Albany and 
a fleet of private yachts, tugboats and other vessels under command 
of Commodore F. B. Dalzell, on board the tug Dalzelline. As the 
Androscoggin steamed leisurely up the river the twelve divisions 
of following vessels made a magnificent tail to the procession, 
dressed up in multi-colored bunting. 

THE COLONEL HOLDS A RECEPTION. 

All interest was centred in the group at the stern of the Andro- 
scoggin. There, flanked by Cornelius Vanderbilt and Captain 
Cosby, the secretary of the committee, with Collector Loeb and 
Commodore R. A. C. Smith standing in front of him, Colonel Roose- 
velt was busy shaking hands and greeting those on board as they 
passed in line before him. 

Captain Cosby alone of the committee was not attired in the 
traditional frock coat. An old Rough Rider, he had donned the 
uniform of the corps for the occasion, and the Colonel slapped him 
on the back and shook him with both hands in sheer glee at the sight 
of the beloved khaki. 

An old friend of the Democratic side of the House to be wel- 
comed was James YV. Oliver, the Assemblyman known as " Paradise 
Jimmy." Oliver looked ill as he stepped up to clasp the Colonel's 
hand. He was met with a handclasp as gentle as a woman's, yet 
full of the characteristic Rooseveltian heartiness. 

" Ah, Jimmy," said Mr. Roosevelt, " it's really a pleasure to 
see you again and have you welcome me. How goes it with you? 
He and I, you know," was added, with a glance at the reporters, 



NATION GREETS COLONEL ROOSEVELT. 403 

" were together in the Legislature in the old days, and I can tell you 
we never allowed the Constitution to come between friends. Did 
we, Jimmy?" Another clasp of the hand and Oliver had given way 
to another committeeman. 

There passed before him fully two hundred men, Governors, 
soldiers, lawyers, secretaries, bankers — men of many walks in life. 
For each he had a little word as he gave the strenuous handclasp. 
For Governor Fort of New Jersey Mr. Roosevelt's welcome was 
particularly hearty, and he caused a laugh when a young man an- 
nounced himself as from the University of California. 

" That university ought to be mighty grateful to me," said the 
Colonel, " for I sent it an elephant. The first time such a gift was 
ever made to a university, I believe, and furthermore, it was not a 
white one." 

A WORD FOR EVERYBODY. 

President Miller of Bronx Borough got a hearty greeting, just 
as did Beverly Robinson, lawyer, who was reminded that he was 
with Roosevelt on Marcy Mountain when the news of the shooting 
of President McKinley reached them. The newspaper men got a 
kind word, and Colonel Roosevelt spoke of having " four of the elect 
of the guild " with him as constant companions " from way above 
Khartoum." 

Walter S. Page, publisher, was told that Mr. Roosevelt 
" wanted to see him soon about that book," and a professorlike man 
was assured : " Yes, I like my Romanes lecture the best of all. It 
was the more finished." Brig.-Gen. Wingate was informed that the 
Sirdar of Egypt had sent his best regards; Henry Clews was 
greeted and told to give his daughter " my best love ;" Frank Tyree, 
a former Secret Service agent, was reminded of old days; Joseph 
Murray, a Republican district leader, was thanked for having been 
Roosevelt's sponsor in political matters as a youth, and Gov. Mills 
of New Mexico, was thanked for coming so far. To a man who 
who wanted him to come out to Arizona, Colonel Roosevelt said : 

" Yes, I feel fine, ancl I can't look as fine as I feel ; but, there are 



404 NATION GREETS COLONEL ROOSEVELT. 

limits to my physical powers, sir, that is all." Former Senator 
McCarty of Kentucky, also was heartily greeted, and former Judge 
Elbert H. Gary was slapped on the back and told to " look cheerful." 
Alfred Lauterbach came in for a strong grip. 

All the handshaking was done by the time the Androscoggin 
had got close to Fourteenth Street on the North River, and then 
Colonel Roosevelt made for the captain's bridge. The shores of 
Xew Jersey, like those of New York and Brooklyn, were black with 
people, and the noise of the shrieking steam whistles was deafening. 

Opposite Fourteenth Street it was decided to turn back, instead 
of going on to Fifty-ninth. Time was passing and the Colonel was 
due at the Battery at 1 1 o'clock. 

Punctually at 1 1 Mr. Roosevelt reached that place, left the boat 
and went to the stand where Mayor Gaynor was awaiting him. 
The Battery Park and surroundings were jammed with spectators 
and the cheers were ear-splitting. Then calm was restored and 
Mayor Gaynor delivered his short address of welcome. 

MAYOR GAYNOR'S WELCOME. 

Mayor Gaynor welcomed Colonel Roosevelt in less than one 
hundred and fifty words and the Colonel began his reply imme- 
diately. His voice was a little hoarse, but he spoke with his usual 
force and declamatory effect. A big cheer and a loud laugh went 
up when he said with emphasis : " I enjoyed myself immensely." 

Mayor Gaynor, in welcoming the Colonel said : " We are all 
here to welcome Mr. Roosevelt to New York. We have watched 
his progress through Europe with delight. Wherever he has gone 
he has been honored as a man and as an exponent of the principles 
of the government of this country. He was received everywhere 
in Europe and honored as no man from this country ever was 
honored. We glory in all that, and it only remains for me to say 
now, Colonel Roosevelt, that we welcome you home most heartily, 
and we are glad to see you again." 

Replying to Mayor Gaynor, the Colonel said : " I thank you, 
Mayor Gaynor. Through you I thank your committee and through 






NATION GREETS COLONEL ROOSEVELT. 405 

them I wish to thank the American people for their greeting. I 
need hardly say I am most deeply moved by the reception given 
me. No man could receive such a greeting without being made to 
feel both very proud and very humble. 

" I have been away a year and a quarter from America and I 
have seen strange and interesting things alike in the heart of the 
frowning wilderness and in the capitals of the mightiest and most 
highly polished of civilized nations. I have thoroughly enjoyed 
myself, and now I am more glad than I can say to get home, to be 
back in my own country, back among people I love. And I am 
ready and eager to do my part so far as I am able in helping solve 
problems which must be solved if we of this, the greatest democratic 
Republic upon which the sun has ever shone, are to see its destinies 
rise to the high level of our hopes and its opportunities. 

DUTY OF CITIZENS. 

" This is the duty of every citizen, but it is peculiarly my duty ; 
for any man who has ever been honored by being made President of 
the United States is thereby forever after rendered the debtor of the 
American people and is bound throughout his life to remember this 
as his prime obligation, and in private life as much as in public life 
so to carry himself that the American people may never have cause 
to feel regret that once they placed him at their head." 

After the brief exercises at the Battery the land parade started. 
Because of the great number of organizations from all over the 
country that wanted to march, the parade was limited to little more 
than an escort. A selection was made, therefore, and these bodies 
were lined up on both sides of Fifth Avenue. 

The parade was led by a squadron of mounted police, followed 
by the Squadron A mounted band. The Roosevelt Rough Riders, 
who were holding their first reunion since 1905, came next, escort- 
ing their former Colonel. 

The Rough Riders had assembled under Colonel Alexander A. 
Brodie, who was a major in the old regiment. The men came from 
all over the country, though mostly from the West. Colonel Brodie 



406 NATION GREETS COLONEL ROOSEVELT. 

is now a lieutenant colonel in the regular army station at St. Paul, 
in the adjutant general's office. About one hundred and fifty 
former members of the regiment rode in the parade, wearing new 
vmi forms, but carrying the tattered old battle flags. The Abernathy 
boys, who came all the way from Oklahoma on horseback, were in 
the parade. 

The Colonel's carriage followed immediately behind the Rough 
Riders. Mayor Gaynor and Cornelius Vanderbilt were with him. 
In the carriages immediately following were the representatives of 
the President and the various States. The committee of the New 
York Senate and Assembly occupied five carriages. The three 
hundred members of the reception committee followed, and after 
them marched the Seventh Regiment Band of one hundred pieces. 

A high tribute was paid to Theodore Roosevelt by Governor 
John Franklin Fort, who addressed a throng of Freemasons at the 
ceremonies of the laying of the cornerstone for the first Masonic 
Temple in East Orange. He declared that the ex-President was 
an ideal Mason and the leading citizen of the world. 

GREATEST CITIZEN OF THE WORLD. 

The Governor offered his eulogy by a coincidence from the 
very platform from which a week previous he had roused the en- 
thusiasm of another crowd, by calling for three cheers for Roosevelt 
and leading them with a will. The Governor alluded to the time 
when the Fredericksburg Lodge of Masons in Virginia celebrated 
its sesquicentennial. Roosevelt, then President of the United 
States, addressed the celebrants, but in the lodge he was not " The 
President," but just " Brother Roosevelt." 

:i I say to-day that that same man is the greatest citizen of the 
Republic," said the Governor. " He is the greatest citizen of the 
world, and recognized as such, I believe, in every nation. I thought 
of that occasion at Fredericksburg when to-day I saw 500,000 pay- 
ing such a glorious tribute to one single man." 

Fully a million and a half people stood and waited for the 
moment when, in ship, or in carriage, the returning Roosevelt should 



NATION GREETS COLONEL ROOSEVELT. 407 

come within their field of vision, and when he did the noise broke 
loose. Bands blared, cannon roared, and sirens screamed, but 
above their din rose the steady continuous thunder of human wel- 
come. 

" Oh, you Roosevelt," " Good Old Teddy !" rang the five mile 
chorus, and through it all he rode bareheaded, flushed with the 
pride of hero-worship, bowing to right and left, picking out here 
and there some enthusiast for special notice, a wave of the hand or 
a wide smile. 

Theodore Roosevelt is little changed from the man who sailed 
for Africa fifteen months ago. A little more grizzled perhaps, as 
to the framing of his upper lip, a trifle heavier in the shoulders from 
the muscle forming strenuousness of big game hunting. 

HE'S THE SAME OLD ROOSEVELT. 

But the flat topped head was flung back as defiantly as when of 
old he faced an audience, the glistening teeth flashed as brightly 
under the gold rimmed glasses, the blue gray eyes smiled out with the 
same magnetic brilliancy and the stubby sun-scorched fingers gripped 
in handshake with all the tensity of yore. 

Ideal weather marked the passing of the show. " Roosevelt 
luck," his admirers called it, and not until the parade had disbanded 
and Rough Riders and Spanish War Veterans had dispersed did the 
sky open its flood gates and drench the streets with a furious down- 
pour. But Roosevelt Day was over then to all intents and purposes, . 
and the crash of thunder and blaze of lightning were deemed by 
many to be only the closing salute of the clouds. 

Mr. Roosevelt may well have felt a deep inward satisfaction 
at the quality of his welcome home. There were the parades on 
land and sea, there were the crowds, the shouting and the bands, 
there was, moreover, that sincere heartiness of greeting without 
which all these ceremonies would have been but a hollow formality. 
No circumstance appropriate to a triumphal re-entry was wanting. 
Mr. Roosevelt's city and Mr. Roosevelt's country rejoice that he has 



408 NATION GREETS COLONEL ROOSEVELT. 

come back safe and sound from his voluntary yet most agreeable 
exile. 

Now that his remarkable journey has come to an end, his coun- 
trymen will inevitably turn their thoughts to the future. They 
wonder what part he is to take in their affairs. The conjecture 
that he himself is thinking of the future would not violently strain 
the probabilities, we presume. It is one of Mr. Roosevelt's pecu- 
liarities that he keeps thinking himself, and that he keeps others 
thinking. 

He has said that he shall say nothing about politics for at least 
two months. That resolution was wise and prudent, no doubt, 
though he may find it hard to keep it to the letter. It is another of 
Mr. Roosevelt's peculiarities that he is apt to give the country early 
information of what is going on in his mind. It is doubtless safer 
for him and for the country that this is so. It tends to the avoidance 
of surprises and gives time for preparation. 






CHAPTER XXXI. 

FORMS BULL MOOSE PARTY. 

Could Not Stay Out of Public Life — Seeks Third Term as 
President — Wages Picturesque Campaign — Victim of Crank's 
Bullet — Goes Down to Political Defeat — Back to Literary 
Work. 

RETURNING to the United States, June 13, 1910, after his re- 
markable European trip, Colonel Roosevelt devoted himself 
for a time to literary work. He wrote an autobiography which was 
published serially, attracting much attention, and took up his duties 
with ' ' The Outlook, ' ' a weekly magazine, at a salary that has been said 
— although not authoritatively — to have been $30,000 a year, and 
resolved not to enter into politics any further. 

But a nature so strenuous would not long permit him to keep 
out of the maelstrom of public life, when it was evident that there 
were things to be done, that had apparently become doomed to be 
left undone. It soon became patent to him that much of the im- 
portant and valuable work accomplished during his administration 
was to be rendered without avail. 

Colonel Roosevelt first took some part in the New York State 
campaign and gradually developed an interest in the national one, 
which sought to re-nominate William Howard Taft for the presi- 
dential chair. Extreme pressure was brought to bear upon the 
Colonel before he finally decided to become a candidate. 

When the campaign of 1912 approached, "The Outlook" took up 
the cudgel in his behalf. The governors of seven Western States 
journeyed to the Roosevelt home at Oyster Bay and asked him to 
run for the nomination for President on the Republican ticket. 
Letters, telegrams, personal calls from men in every walk of life 
and many other evidences of a strong popular feeling in his behalf 
found their way to Sagamore Hill, and eventually he "threw his 
hat into the ring" and made history in a memorable race. 

Colonel Roosevelt held that Mr. Taft, pledged to carry out the 

409 



410 FORMS BULL MOOSE PARTY 

policies of the preceding administration as he had carried out those 
of Mr. McKinley, had violated his word and, though bitterly as- 
sailed by many newspapers, he expressed it as his duty to return 
to do battle for "human rights. " 

Once having determined to enter the fight, he inaugurated what 
was probably one of the most remarkable pre-convention campaigns 
in the history of the country. With characteristic energy he toured 
a large portion of America, making fiery speeches in States that 
provided for presidential primaries. Great throngs greeted him 
wherever he spoke and his every appearance was an ovation. 

His reputation as a phrase maker was not allowed to suffer even 
during this feverish period. Referring to the long-delayed project 
of the Panama Canal building, in a memorable speech in the Metro- 
politan Opera House in Philadelphia he said in substance: "Since 
the days of Balboa there have been dreams and talk of a waterway 
spanning the Isthmus of Panama and joining the waters of the 
Atlantic and the Pacific. There was talk of it in the early days of 
the Republic. De Lesseps started to build it, but his enterprise 
vanished in talk. There has been talk and nothing but talk through 
successive Presidential administrations until I recognized Panama. 
Now after two hundred years of conversation they have stopped 
talking about the waterway and transferred their attention to me. 
But the canal is being built." 

FORMATION OF THE PROGRESSIVE PARTY 

His campaign seemed to insure a majority of votes large enough 
to secure his nomination at the Chicago convention. He personally 
conducted his own fight there, but the decision of the Credentials 
Committee against him in a large number of State contests alone 
kept him from once again holding the reins of his party. 

With Mr. Taft nominated, the Colonel after several weeks' con- 
sideration and encouraged by the exhortations of many of the most 
prominent of his countrymen, decided to "cross the Rubicon." He 
bolted his party and formed the Progressive Party, also nicknamed 
the "Bull Moose" faction, at a convention held in Chicago, August 
7, 1912, being nominated for the presidency with Hiram W. John- 
son, of California, as his running mate. It is interesting to record 
that for the first time in this country's history a President's nomi- 



FORMS BULL MOOSE PARTY 411 

nation was seconded by a woman, Jane Addams acting in that 
capacity. 

In the platform the newly born party declared among other 
principles for direct primaries for the nomination of States and 
National offices and candidates for the presidency; for the popular 
election of United States senators, and urged on the States the use 
of the short ballot, "with respectability of the people insured by 
the initiative, referendum and recall." National jurisdiction of 
problems which have expanded beyond the reach of individual States 
was advocated. Pledges were made to provide "a more easy and 
expeditious method of amending the Federal Constitution"; to se- 
cure equal suffrage; to enactment of legislation limiting campaign 
contributions and expenditures and providing for publicity thereof; 
to judicial reform ; to a full and immediate inquiry and to immediate 
action to deal with the high cost of living, and demanded "such 
restrictions of the power of the courts as shall leave to the people 
the ultimate authority to determine fundamental questions of social 
welfare and public policy." 

ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF COLONEL ROOSEVELT 

The convention, unique in the history of such American political 
functions, was a picturesque and colorful affair. Enthusiasm was 
rampant. There were record-breaking cheers, parades about the 
hall and many other demonstrations of approval of their idol by 
the delegates. 

Governor Johnson, in his acceptance speech for the vice- 
presidency, said: "I would rather go down to defeat with Theodore 
Roosevelt than to victory with any other presidential candidate." 

Colonel Roosevelt at once opened a vigorous campaign which 
was carried on with unabated zeal until an attempt was made upon 
his life by John Schrank, a crank, during a speech at Milwaukee, 
October 14, 1912. Schrank shot at the Progressive leader from the 
centre of the crowd about the speaker's platform and the bullet 
lodged in the candidate's right breast. In spite of his weakened 
condition he persisted in his scheduled speech, but the attack tem- 
porarily put an end to his activities. 

It was at this point, however, that the Colonel showed his char- 
acteristic rare courage, aggressive determination and Spartan forti- 



412 FORMS BULL MOOSE PARTY 

tude. Entering the Auditorium he began his address despite im- 
portunities by his friends to desist. He talked until he became 
faint from the loss of blood. Despite the frequent efforts of his son 
Kerinit to have him stop, he continued to address his audience until 
the blood had soaked its way through his clothing and made its 
presence evident to those about him by a large stain. Then waving 
his hand to his hearers, he staggered to the west wing of the stage 
supported by his son. So admirably had the Colonel carried out 
his speech that it was not until his dramatic exit that the report 
flashed through the building that the speaker had been wounded. 
The injured man was taken in a special train to Chicago, where 
he was placed in the Mercy Hospital. 

"Go on," he told his associates who stood about as the physi- 
cians probed for the bullet. For a long time he remained in a 
critical condition. The bullet found its way to the muscles of his 
breast and was never removed. His assailant was placed in a 
hospital for the criminally insane. But the indomitable Colonel 
recovered and with all his energy again plunged into the fight. 

THE PROGRESSIVE LEADER IS DEFEATED 

During the campaign considerable spice was added to its eventful 
progress by the charges of John D. Archbold that the Colonel had 
accepted substantial contributions by the Standard Oil Company 
to his presidential campaign fund in 1904. The candidate answered 
the charges in a letter to Senator Moses E. Clapp, chairman of the 
Senate Investigating Committee, in his characteristic manner. He 
directed his shafts against United States Senator Boies Penrose 
and John D. Archbold. "With characteristic zest, he added Senator 
Penrose and Mr. Archbold to the list of members of the "Ananias 
Club to make sure they would know who their associates are." 

In the communication he referred to a previous letter in which 
another of his more famous phrases appeared, "the shorter and 
more ugly word." 

Then came the election and the split in the Republican party 
which resulted in a victory for Woodrow Wilson, the Democratic 
candidate, by an overwhelming majority of the votes in the elec- 
toral college. But even in defeat the Progressive leader showed 
his tremendous popularity. He carried six States, California, Mich- 



FORMS BULL MOOSE PAETY 413 

igan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Washington, re- 
ceiving an electoral vote of eighty-eight, while President Taft car- 
ried only two States, Utah and Vermont, netting him eight electoral 
votes. Roosevelt's popular vote was 4,119,507, as against Taft's 
3,484,986, while Mr. Wilson won the office of chief magistrate of 
the nation with a popular vote of 6,293,019. 

In a statement following the decision of the voters in favor 
of Mr. Wilson, Colonel Roosevelt expressed his hope in the eventual 
triumph of his principles. 

"The American people," he said, "by a great plurality have 
decided in favor of Mr. Wilson and the Democratic party. Like all 
good citizens I accept the result with entire good humor and con- 
tentment. As for the Progressive cause, I can only repeat what I 
have already said so many times; the fate of the leader for the 
time being is of little consequence, but the cause itself must in 
the end triumph, for its triumph is essential to the welfare of the 
American people.' ' 

ANALYSIS OF COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S CHARACTER 

Much unfavorable comment was excited against Mr. Roosevelt 
for his supposedly third-term ambition especially as he had previ- 
ously made a public statement on the night of his re-election to the 
presidency that he would not again be a candidate for the office. 
In the statement which was often quoted against him afterwards, 
he said: "I am deeply sensible of the honor that has been con- 
ferred upon me and I shall show my gratification by a wise and 
just Administration. On March 4 next I shall have completed three 
years and a half as President of the United States. I shall regard 
that three years and a half as my first term. The wise custom 
which limits the President to two terms regards the substance, not 
the form, and under no circumstances will I be a candidate for or 
accept another term. ' ' 

Dr. Morton Prince, of the Tuft's College Medical School, who 
was an authority on psychology and nervous diseases, wrote an an- 
alysis of Colonel Roosevelt's character. He said in his work that 
he believed in the sincerity of the President when he made his 
atement on the two-term custom, but adds that a powerful sub- 
consciousness governed his afterthoughts not only in this matter, 



414 FOKMS BULL MOOSE PAETY 

but in other matters where he failed, or seemed to fail, to keep his 
promises. 

"I think it safe to say," wrote Dr. Prince, "that Mr. Roosevelt 
will go down in history as one of the most illustrious psychological 
examples of the distortion of conscious mental processes through 
the force of sub-conscious wishes." 

Many of the friends of the "Bull Moose" standard bearer have 
held that he meant to phrase his statement, "another consecutive 
term. ' ' 

Following the election of Woodrow Wilson, the Colonel resumed 
his literary work, but at the same time continued to take a 
deep interest in the affairs of the nation. During this time he made 
many speeches in support of his theories in various parts of the 
country. 

On one occasion during the early part of President Wilson's 
administration, he paid a visit to the White House and sat with his 
host on a rear porch of the Executive Mansion sipping lemonade, 
the while the two distinguished men discussing by-gone pleasures 
and disagreements, swapping anecdotes and limericks and delving 
into the ramifications of new problems. 



CHAPTER XXXII. 

DISCOVERS RIVER OF DOUBT. 

Colonel Roosevelt Leads South American Expedition — Stricken 
With Fever and Barely Survives — Exploration of Brazilian 
Jungle — Has Lively Controversy With Scientists Over Find- 
ing op New Stream. 

THE campaign of 1912 over and the new administration fairly 
launched in the task of guiding the nation's destinies, the vig- 
orous campaigner was not long in seeking new fields in which to 
expend his apparently inexhaustible fund of energy. His desire for 
conquest unfulfilled in the political arena, it was only characteristic 
of him to "seek new worlds to conquer." His early love, his pas- 
sion, his hobby, if one can single it out among the many which this 
multi-sided man entertained, was natural history. His early train- 
ing, his temperament, his pursuits, his desires had all been pro- 
foundly influenced by his devotion to this his avocation. 

About this time the American Museum of Natural History, New 
York, invited him to head a hunting and scientific expedition to 
South America. Here were dangers, new trails to be blazed, new 
species to be discovered, something big to challenge the attention 
of this man with an inveterate thirst for knowledge and venture and 
the indomitable will to achieve it no matter how great the obstacles 
or the perils. 

Accordingly, within a short time he had set sail for the tropical 
continent under the direction of the American Museum of Natural 
History. Included in his party were his son Kermit, several botan- 
ists and zoologists and a number of representatives of the Brazilian 
government, in addition to a large retinue of guides and helpers. 
On his trip south he was received with signal honors at Rio de 
Janeiro and Buenos Aires and in both cities made addresses. 

Extensive preparations had been made for the trip, which proved 
to be the last he was destined to make. 

415 



416 DISCOVERS RIVER OF DOUBT 

After a trip lasting six weeks through Brazil, Uruguay, the 
Argentine and Chile, to fulfill his speaking engagements, the explorer 
was ready to begin his expedition. 

Inspired by the interest of his life long friend, Father Zahm, 
in such a trip, the Colonel had eventually made arrangements with 
Frank Chapman, curator of ornithology at the American Museum of 
History in New York City, to undertake the expedition under the 
auspices of the institution, and received the offer of a couple of 
naturalists from the museum to aid in the work of collecting speci- 
mens. The expedition was designed to be a hunting and scientific 
one. 

The men recommended by Chapman were Messrs. George K. 
Cherrie and Leo E. Miller. Both were fearless, efficient and widely 
experienced men, who had seen many years' experience in tropical 
lands and knew the kind of work which confronted them. The party 
also included Anthony Fiala, a former arctic explorer, who was an 
excellent man for assemblng equipment and taking charge of its 
handling and shipment and who had served in the New York Squad- 
ron in Porto Rico during the Spanish War; Colonel Roosevelt's 
secretary, Frank Harper; Jacob Sigg, who had served three years 
in the United States Army, and was both a hospital nurse and a 
cook; Father Zahm, and Roosevelt's son, Kermit, who joined the 
others in southern Brazil. 

EQUIPPING THE EXPEDITION. 

Great care was taken in providing the expedition for the eventu- 
alities of the trip. Each of the naturalists took 16-bore shotguns, 
one of Cherrie 's having a rifle barrel underneath. The firearms for 
the rest of the party were supplied by Kermit and the Colonel, and 
included a Springfield rifle, two Winchesters, a 405 and 30-40, the 
Fox 12-gauge shotgun, and another 16-gauge gun, and a couple of 
revolvers, a Colt and a Smith and Wesson. In the equipment were 
a couple of canvas canoes, tents, mosquito-bars, plenty of cheese- 
cloth, including nets for the hats, and both light cots and hammocks. 
Ropes and pulleys proved of great value. 

Each member of the party dressed according to his fancy. The 
Colonel wore a khaki suit, similar to the one he used in his African 
trip, with a couple of United States Army flannel shirts, and a 



DISCOVERS KIVER OF DOUBT 417 

couple of silk shirts, a pair of hob-nailed shoes with leggings and 
a pair of laced leather boots coming nearly to the knee. The boots 
and leggings were necessary as a protection against the deadly 
bites of the poisonous snakes in that region, while it was also neces- 
sary to wear gauntlets because of the mosquitoes and sand-flies. It 
was the plan of the party to live on the country wherever they could, 
but ample precautions were taken to provide sufficient food, the sup- 
plies including a large quantity of United States Army rations and 
ninety cans, each containing a day's provisions for five men. 

The topography of the country which he proposed to traverse, is 
explained by the Colonel himself. 

' ' The great mountain chain of the Andes extends down the entire 
length of the western coast, so close to the Pacific Ocean that no rivers 
of any importance enter it. The rivers of South America drain into 
the Atlantic. Southernmost South America, including over half of the 
territory of the Argentine Republic, consists chiefly of a cool, open 
plains country. Northward of his country, and eastward of the An- 
des, lies the great bulk of the South American continent, which is in- 
cluded in the tropical and sub-tropical regions. Most of this country 
is Brazilian. Aside from certain relatively small stretches drained by 
coast rivers, this immense region of tropical and sub-tropical Amer- 
ica east of the Andes is drained by the three great river systems of 
the Plate, the Amazon, and the Orinoco. At their headwaters the 
Amazon and the Orinoco systems are actually connected by a sluggish 
natural canal. The headwaters of the northern affluents of the Para- 
guay and the southern affluents of the Amazon are sundered by a 
stretch of high land, which toward the east broadens out into the cen- 
tral plateau of Brazil. Geologically this is a very ancient region, 
having appeared above the waters before the dawning of the age of 
reptiles, or, indeed, of any true land vertebrates of the globe. This 
plateau is a region partly of healthy, rather dry and sandy, open 
prairie, partly of forest. The great and low-lying basin of the 
Amazon, which borders it on the north, is the very largest of all the 
river basins of the earth. 

"In these basins, but especially in the basin of the Amazon, and 
thence in most places northward to the Caribbean Sea, lies the most 
extensive stretches of tropical forest to be found anywhere. The 
forests of tropical West Africa, and of portions of the Farther-Indian 

27— T.R. 



418 DISCOVEES RIVER OF DOUBT 

region, are the only ones that can be compared with them. Much diffi- 
culty had been experienced in exploring these forests, because under 
the torrential rains and steaming heat the rank growth of vegetation 
becomes almost impenetrable and the streams difficult of navigation ; 
while white men suffer much from the terrible insect scourges and 
the deadly diseases which modern science has discovered to be due 
largely to insect bites. The fauna and flora, however, are of great 
interest. The American Museum was particularly anxious to obtain 
collections from the divide between the headwaters of the Paraguay 
and the Amazon, and from the southern affluents of the Amazon. Our 
purpose was to ascend the Paraguay as nearly as possible to the head 
of navigation, thence cross to the sources of one of the affluents of the 
Amazon, and if possible descend it in canoes built on the spot. The 
Paraguay is regularly navigated as far as boats can go. The start- 
ing point for our trip was to be Asuncion, in the State of Paraguay." 

THE EXPEDITION STARTS. 

Through the good offices of Lauro Midler, the Minister of For- 
eign Affairs in Brazil, the Colonel received the aid of Colonel Ron- 
don, of the Brazilian army, a man chiefly Indian by blood and for 
25 years the foremost explorer of the Brazilian hinterland. He also 
offered to further the expedition in any way possible. He urged a 
serious expedition into the unexplored portion of western Matto 
Grosso, and the descent of a river of unknown course, believed to be 
a very big river and completely unknown to geographers. It was 
accordingly arranged that Colonel Rondon and some assistants and 
scientists should meet the party at or below Corumba and attempt the 
descent of the river, whose headwaters had already been located. 

On the afternoon of December 9, the party left the city of Asun- 
cion to ascend the Paraguay. The Paraguayan government had ex- 
tended every courtesy to the explorers, even lending them the 
gunboat-yacht of the President himself, a very comfortable river 
steamer, which made the opening days of the trip more than pleasant. 
It became evident to them later that the trip was to be far from an 
easy and pleasant one, with much to fear from the vicious man- 
eating, and to the laity little known fish of that section, not to mention 
the worst foe of the tropical explorer, the insects. 



DISCOVEES RIVEE OF DOUBT 419 

On the Brazilian boundary, the travellers met a shallow river 
steamer, carrying Colonel Candido Mariano da Silva Rondon and 
several other Brazilian members of the expedition. His companions 
included Captain Amilcar de Magalhaes, Lieutenant Joao Lyra, 
Lieutenant Joaquin de Mello Filho, and Dr. Euzebio de Oliveira, a 
geologist. 

The preliminary conversations of these hardy pioneers in opening 
up the Brazilian wilderness, made plain to the party the dangers 
they had most to fear. There were as before mentioned, the man- 
eating fish, the giant anacondas, and no less deadly but smaller poi- 
sonous serpents, the wild beasts, but above all the attacks of the 
swarming insects, mosquitoes, tiny gnats, ticks, and the vicious poi- 
sonous ants which at times depopulated whole villages in these 
regions. These insects and the fevers they cause, and dysentery and 
starvation and wearing hardship and accidents in rapids were what 
the party learned were the principal dangers. 

EXPLORING THE PARAGUAY RIVER. 

After six days of pleasant, uneventful but interesting travel, 
the members of the expedition reached Corumba, where the party 
was completed. Cherrie and Miller, who with some others had gone 
ahead, had devoted their time to good advantage, having already col- 
lected some eight hundred specimens of mammals and birds. 

The next few days were spent hunting jaguar on the River Tap- 
ary, and after a number of interesting experiences, the party on the 
"Nyoac," a small river boat, started their trip, Christmas Day, up 
to the headwaters of the Paraguay. "The little steamer was jam- 
med," as the Colonel expressed it, "with men, dogs, rifles, partially 
cured skins, boxes of provisions, ammunition, tools, and photographic 
supplies, bags containing tents, cots, bedding and clothes, saddles, 
hammocks, and the other necessities for a trip through the 'great 
wilderness, ' the 'matto grosso' of western Brazil." 

A week or more was spent descending and ascending the various 
branches of the Paraguay River, with a number of heavy tropical 
storms to make things interesting and an occasional hunt for wild 
boar or jaguars to vary the monotony. At Caeres, the party was 
entering the scene of Colonel Rondon 's former explorations. 

Up the River of Tapirs the party next proceeded, until they 



420 DISCOVERS EIVER OF DOUBT 

reached Tapirapoan, where they broke up their baggage, sending 
much material back on its way to New York, and prepared themselves 
for the serious work that now lay before them. It was shortly before 
this that it was learned that a boat ascending Gy-Parana, a confluent 
of the River Duvida, had been upset, three of the men drowned, and 
the provisions intended for the party lost. This only served to ac- 
centuate the dangers of the coming exploration. At this point it was 
also found difficult to get camaradas, or ordinary helpers, to accom- 
pany the party into the dangers of the unknown wilderness. Especial 
difficulty was experienced in finding a cook. Finally there were thirty 
men ready to begin the hazardous trip, with five dogs and tents, bed- 
ding and provisions; fresh beef, and skins, all jammed together on 
the small steamer. 

The expedition was now in the land of the blood-sucking bats. 
These are vampire bats than suck the blood of living creatures, cling- 
ing to the shoulder of a horse or cow, or the foot or hand of a sleep- 
ing man, and making a wound from which the blood continues to flow 
long after the creature's thirst has been satiated. 

GREAT DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED. 

From Tapirapoan, the course of the explorers lay northward up 
to and across the Plan Alto, the highland wilderness of Brazil. 
"From the ledges of this highland country," as the explorer de- 
scribed it, "the affluents of the Amazon to the north, and of the 
Plate to the south, flow with immense and devious loops and wind- 
ings. " 

Two days before the party started, a train of pack-oxen left, 
loaded with provisions, tools and other things, which would be needed 
when a month or six weeks later they began their descent into the 
valley of the Amazon. There were about seventy oxen, many of 
them well broken. 

On January 21, the party itself started, with the mule-train. 
After crossing the Septouba rapids, they took a course westward. 
Here they encountered their first difficulties. Every step of the 
way through the dense tropical forest meant slashing a trail with 
the machete through a tangle of wilderness undergrowth. It was 
at this point absolutely necessary to depend on compasses for sense 
of direction, as the guides were time and again lost. Then came 



DISCOVERS EIVER OF DOUBT 421 

a hot twenty miles across the Parecis plateau, with cool nights to 
make amends. 

There were many discussions between Colonel Rondon and 
Lieutenant Lyra over the course of the Rio da Duvida, and where 
its mouth might be. Its provisional name — "River of Doubt" — was 
inspired by the ignorance concerning it; an ignorance which the 
expedition was designed to dispel. It was reasoned, wrote the 
Colonel, "that it might go into the Gy-Parana, in which case its 
course would be very short; it might flow into the Madeira low 
down, in which case its course would be very long; or, what was con- 
sidered unlikely, it might flow into the Tapajos. 

"There was another river, of which Colonel Rondon had come 
across the headwaters, whose course was equally doubtful, although 
in its case there was rather more probability of its flowing into the 
Juruena, by which name the Tapajos is known for its upper half. 
To this unknown river Colonel Rondon had given the name Ananas, 
because when he had come across it he found a deserted Indian field 
with pineapples, which the hungry explorers ate greedily." 

TROUBLESOME INSECTS. 

It was found when Colonel Rondon and his associates joined 
the rest of the party that their baggage and equipment had been 
.labelled by the Brazilian Government "Expedicao Scientifica 
Roosevelt-Rondon, which afterwards became the proper and official 
title of the expedition. 

One striking feature at this point was the great number of 
ant-hills, some as high as a man. Before long these insects proved 
quite troublesome as did some of the other insects. 

Now the expedition encountered a series of beautiful water- 
falls, one the Falls of Utiarity, which outranked any falls the party 
knew on the entire hemisphere with the exception of Niagara. 

There was now a great deal of rainy weather and conditions 
under which the deadly beriberi and malignant malarial fever gen- 
erally claimed its victims. 

"With clear weather again the party started with a mule-train 
and two ox-carts into a still wilder region, the land of the naked 
Nhambiquara Indians. The difficult part of the expedition had now 
begun. The pium flies became a pest. The climatic conditions be- 



422 DISCOVEES EIVEE OF DOUBT 

came unhealthy and the feed for the animals was poor; the trails 
became difficult and many of the conveniences of the expedition were 
dispensed with, as it had become necessary to cut down everything 
that was not indispensable. In fact as many of the pack animals 
died from the severe conditions further cuts were necessary from 
time to time. 

Conditions were made still more alarming by the report that 
two members of the party, who had undertaken a side expedition 
down the Papagaio Eiver, had met with a mishap in some bad 
falls with the net result that half of their provisions and much of 
the baggage was lost. 

ON THE RIVER OF DOUBT. 

By February 24, the expedition had approached to within six 
miles of their place of embarkation on the Duvida and at this 
point the party was divided. Some were to march three days to 
the Gy-Parana, and then descend it, and continue down the Madeira 
to Manaos. Colonel Roosevelt, Colonel Rondon, Kermit and the 
doctor with a number of others were to descend the Duvida in canoes 
and find out whether it led into the Gy-Parana, into the Madeira, 
or into the Tapajos. If within a few days it led into the Gy-Parana, 
it was proposed to return and descend the Ananas, whose outlet was 
also unknown. The Duvida party was provisioned for fifty days, 
not however full rations, as they hoped to live on the country. All 
were well armed. Here then before them was the unknown, with 
glory and satisfaction and achievement for all if they succeeded, but 
with dangers, disease, starvation and death all within the proba- 
bilities. 

Shortly after mid-day, on February 27, 1914, the party started 
down the River of Doubt. The general course was to be northward 
in the general zone of the equator, by waterway through the great 
forest. There were seven canoes, all dugouts, and only three of 
these absolutely good. As they went they surveyed the river. In 
the afternoon, they came to the mouth of a big and swift affluent 
entering from the right, which proved to be the Bandeira River, 
which the party had previously crossed. Monkeys which were shot 
proved very good eating. The forest was for the most part strangely 
silent. 



DISCOVERS EIVER OF DOUBT 423 

The rapids soon presented serious obstacles. It was therefore 
necessary from time to time to make portages, carrying" the heavy 
baggage for a mile or so at a time. The insects became real pests. 
They were of great size and in many cases brought blood as they 
attacked their victims. The ants and flies grew particularly vicious 
and in a short time everyone was blistered and marked over his 
whole body. Two of the canoes were smashed and it became neces- 
sary to stop and build others. Torrential downpours hampered the 
work and added to the discomfort. 

MANY DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED. 

At one of the rapids a serious accident befell the party. Ker- 
mit 's canoe was caught in a whirlpool, one of his paddlers crushed 
to death as he was pounded against the boulders by the powerful 
eddies, and Kermit, after the narrowest of escapes, was barely able 
to reach a place of safety. In a rapids further on, misfortune again 
awaited them. A canoe was lost, also a rope and pulley, invaluable 
at this time, while one of the party barely escaped with his life. The 
dangers of the trip now loomed up large. A third of the provisions 
were gone, the traveling was difficult and tedious, the distance was 
probably less than a fifth traversed, and it soon developed that they 
were in a country of wild and hostile Indians, who were crack shots 
with their bows and arrows, which fact was soon demonstrated in 
the death of a couple of the dogs of the party. 

It became necessary to still further reduce the baggage and 
dispense with comfort. Most of the camaradas became now affected 
with swollen feet, which only the utmost efforts of the doctor saved 
from being more serious. Coming upon a rapids suddenly around 
a sharp turn it became necessary to shoot the rapids and it proved 
a close call for the explorers. A little river discovered at this point 
was christened by Colonel Rondon, Rio Kermit. 

It soon became evident that the worst rapids were yet to be 
encountered. It was now recognized that the River of Doubt was 
a big river of real importance. Colonel Rondon in the name of the 
Brazilian Government christened it the Rio Roosevelt, this name 
being subsequently changed to the Rio Theodor. 

The rapids as before mentioned became more numerous and 
more difficult. One stretch of rapids which were quite precipitous 
took more than six hours in the descent. Everything was taken out 



424 DISCOVERS RIVER OF DOUBT 

of the canoes and they were run down in succession. At one espe« 
cially perilous place they were let down by ropes, and even with this 
precaution one was nearly lost. The tremendous downpours of rain 
accompanied by thunder and lightning still continued for hours at a 
time, and when they stopped the forest dripped and steamed to a 
degree that made it almost impossible to explore. And still there 
were rapids, even more rapids, and ever more difficult rapids. 

Another disturbing factor was the increasing difficulty of get- 
ting game or other food from the forest. The party had started 
with fifty days ' rations ; which did not mean full rations. Two meals 
a day was the order of things and some of them were rather short. 
The hard work was beginning to tell on many of the men, and it 
was necessary to economize their strength, but at the same time the 
need of more rapid progress grew increasingly evident. In a month 
on the river, half the provisions had been consumed, with reason 
to believe that by far the greater part of the journey remained to be 
covered. There was present at all times the danger of accident in 
the rapids, and the party began to perceive that in a short time they 
would be in great straits. 

ACUTE SUFFERINGS AND HARDSHIPS. 

It had proved to be a big river, most probably the headwaters 
of the Aripuanan, a river which had not even been named on most 
maps. Two of the men in the party had been laid low with the 
fever. Reduction on the baggage this time, to meet the new condi- 
tions, meant cutting it to the bone. It was now necessary, the party 
found, to pass many of the rapids with the canoes by the ardous 
method of using ropes, the while the baggage was carried by land 
with great difficulty. The trail became more and more mountainous, 
with much exceedingly beautiful country to repay them for their 
labors. The ants which came about the tents in great swarms made 
things interesting for the party and destroyed much of their clothing. 
It became still more trying as some of the camaradas became down- 
hearted and expressed doubts as to the party ever coming out of the 
wilderness alive. 

The rapids running now through canyons became still more diffi- 
cult of passage. Not only was it hard for the transporting of the 
canoes, which thanks to several accidents were now reduced to two, 



DISCOVEES RIVEE OF DOUBT 425 

but the party began to suffer acutely. Many of them were con- 
tinually soaked to the skin, their shoes had rotted off, they were 
covered with bruises which had become sores, and bites of the 
myriads of insects had become festering wounds. In fact it became 
necessary to kill several venomous snakes and scorpions in self 
defense. These were conditions to bring out in the best in men, or 
more probably the worst. 

A new and strange peril arose to confront the members of the 
expedition. One of the camaradas, a man of European blood, and 
a powerful fellow, though an arrant craven at heart, began to break 
under the strain of hardship, toil, and danger which was affecting 
everybody. He was a shirker, he shammed sickness and wherever 
he got an opportunity he stole the food of the party. In fact, he 
alone of all of them was in full bodily vigor. Detected steal- 
ing food by another camarada, a crime punishable almost by death 
under the conditions, the shirker received a tremendous smash in 
the mouth for his pains. The tragedy was not long in coming to a 
head. Catching his late assailant unawares in the fastnesses of the 
forest, the culprit shot his man dead. The danger then confronted 
the party of having a fear-crazed man running amuck, who would 
sell his life as dearly as possible. It was no longer possible to carry 
him along as a prisoner, even if his capture could be effected. 

GIGANTIC CAT-FISH. 

The men grew constantly weaker under the strain of unremit- 
ting and exhausting labor. Kermit was stricken with fever, while 
Cherrie and Lyra were down with dysentery. In fact it was but a 
short time before most of the party were so affected, some of them 
being unable to help themselves. Fortunately the river had swung 
into a level plain and the going became easier. At this point the 
party caught a huge cat-fish, three and a half feet long, which preyed 
as they found on monkeys, but they learned to their astonishment 
that still more gigantic cat-fish were to be found which made man 
as their prey. This fish averages more than nine feet length and 
with its disproportionately large head and mouth seems even more 
terrifying. 

Life had become for the party, just one rapid after the other, 
in fact one may be pardoned for referring: to it as a "rapid life." 



426 DISCOVEES EIVEE OF DOUBT 

They slept constantly within earshot of rapids. Then after days the 
river became quieter and smoother, fish and game became more plenti- 
ful and easier to catch and, as if the end of good things was not 
yet come, a house, the home of a Brazilian peasant came into view. 
Other houses came into view and it became apparent to the over- 
joyed travelers that their perils were about at an end. They dis- 
covered that they were about fifteen clays' journey from the conflu- 
ence of the Aripuanan and Castanho Rivers. There were many rub- 
ber men at this point who had become permanent settlers. In the 
six weeks of interminable labor the party had come over three hun- 
dred kilometres. They had traveled a river about the size of the 
upper Rhine or the Elbe, a stream heretofore utterly unknown to 
geographers. 

ROOSEVELT STRICKEN WITH FEVER. 

It was high time though. Half of the camaradas were down 
with the fever, the Colonel, who had been badly bruised in a fall 
traversing a rapid, had also developed a bad attack of the fever, 
and it was necessary to alternately carry and canoe him for days 
at a time. But the indomitable spirit, which had supported him 
in every other undertaking, had stood him in good stead in this, 
so that together with the attentions of the doctor in the party, he 
had been able to recover, even when it had seemed that he must 
give up. The germs of this fever and the hardships of the trip 
remained with the Colonel, however, long after the trip was com- 
pleted and, in fact, he aged visibly upon his return to the United 
States. On April 26 the men passed the last of the dangerous rapids, 
having traversed in two months' time a distance of more than 
750 kilometres. The river was therefore about a thousand kilo- 
metres in length and, if as it seemed, it was the upper course of 
the Aripuanan River, its total length would aggregate nearly 1500 
kilometres. 

By easy stages the party reached the town of Manaos, where 
the Colonel bid goodbye to his faithful camaradas, while at Belen, 
or Para, as it was later called, the final adieus were said to Colonel 
Rondon and his comrades. Meeting Professor Farrabee, of the Uni- 
versity of Pennsylvania, who had just finished a highly successful 
ethnological trip across the highlands of Guina and down the sea- 
coast of British Guina, the party after an exchange of felicitations 



DISCOVERS EIVER OF DOUBT 427 

and expression of appreciation for the kindnesses of their Brazilian 
friends, bade them good bye and sailed northward for Barbadoes 
and New York. 

Zoologically the trip had been a great success. Cherrie and 
Miller had collected over twenty-five hundred birds, about five hun- 
dred mammals and a few reptiles and fishes, many of which were 
entirely new to science. They had put upon the map, a river of 
some fifteen hundred kilometres in length, of which the upper course 
was completely unknown by anybody, while the lower course, al- 
though known for years to a few rubber-men, was utterly unknown 
to cartographers. This river had, in fact, proved to be the chief 
affluent of the Madeira, which is itself the chief affluent of the 
Amazon. 

STEFANSSON'S ESTIMATE OF ROOSEVELT. 

Upon his return to the United States and his published reports 
of his adventures and explorations, the Colonel again became a storm 
centre, as many scientists immediately challenged the veracity and 
accuracy of his statements. Then followed a hot series of answers 
by the explorer to his doubters, when in his picturesque language, 
he referred to them as "nature fakirs" and by other equally felici- 
tous and complimentary terms. 

The fact remained, however, that he had undertaken and over- 
come hazards that few men would have dared to encounter, much 
less deliberately seek, and had shown with renewed force and in a 
different light many of those traits, which has made everyone proud 
to speak of him as one of the greatest of Americans. 

In appreciation of Theodore Eoosevelt's talents, knowledge and 
achievements as a naturalist and explorer and as a powerful answer 
to many of the doubters and detractors of his South American ex- 
pedition, Vilhjamur Stefansson, the eminent arctic explorer, wrote 
shortly after the Colonel's death: "Apart from the political and 
personal motives of deliberate detractors, what disparagement there 
was of Colonel Eoosevelt's geographic explorations in South Amer- 
ica came from the labor-union-minded explorers and geographers 
who saw him as an outsider, because he had not served a protracted 
apprenticeship to their craft. But those who looked merely for 
competence and truthfulness gave his notable achievements due recog- 
nition from the start." 



428 DISCOVERS RIVER OF DOUBT 

"Colonel Eoosevelt was the most explorer-minded man I have 
known. He was in continual quest of the unknown and the little- 
known in literature, in art, and in science. Inconspicuous poets, 
sculptors and explorers got that encouragement from the Colonel, 
which in time led to them to make their mark. It was amazing, not 
only how well he was informed on a vast variety of scientific sub- 
jects, but also how minutely, and exactly, and completely. 

"Many would say that Frank Chapman, curator of birds at the 
American Museum of New York, is the greatest authority on birds 
in America, yet when I asked him what he thought of Colonel Roose- 
velt as an ornitholigist, Chapman replied: 'The Colonel knows more 
about birds than I do. ' And similar things I have heard said about 
him by specialists in other departments. 

"As an explorer in literature Colonel Roosevelt did not con- 
fine himself to the finding of new authors of today; he examined also 
the literatures of distant times and obscure peoples. He would not 
allow his literary tastes to be formed by others, an example of this 
being furnished by what some may think his extravagant admiration 
of the sagas and other Old Norse literature. He placed the Old 
Norse literature next after the Greek and Roman in excellence, 
though he admitted enjoying it more than either of the others. 

"The truth, acknowledged by all who knew him, is that with 
an indelible memory and an interest in every field of knowledge he 
combined a sanity of judgment that quickly made him master of 
any development that was truthfully reported to him. Just as I 
have heard icthyologists and ornitholigists and mammalogists com- 
ment on the range of his exact knowledge and the soundness of his 
judgment, so can I say that in the field of exploration and in the one 
or two other departments that are peculiarly mine through study 
or through the accidents of birth and environment, I have known no 
better informed authority or discerning critic than Colonel Roose- 
velt.' ' 



CHAPTER XXXIII. 
ROOSEVELT IN WAR CRISIS. 

Attacks Waiting Policy of Administration — Urges Policy of Na- 
tional Preparation for Defense — Victor in Two Libel Suits 

Nails Lie About Drinking — Charges New York Politician 
With Corruption. 

IT was but a short time after his return from South America when 
Colonel Roosevelt once more projected himself into the lime- 
light with a series of vigorous attacks on President Wilson's policy 
of "watchful waiting" in the Mexican situation. 

With the fatal shots at Sarajevo, which speedily plunged the 
whole world into a death grapple, a new call was heard by his adven- 
turous spirit. The disputes between the United States and Germany 
over the latter 's submarine policy and between the United States 
and Great Britain and her allies over the question of interference 
with neutral commerce, once more gave him the opportunity to wield 
his "big stick." Followed then the tedious negotiations attendant 
on the sinkings of the Lusitania, the Arabic and other steamships 
by the undersea craft of the Germans, with the heavy loss of Amer- 
ican lives. Here the Colonel laid lustily about him as he lashed the 
Administration and condemned their policy as weak, vacillating and 
"un-American." 

He was one of the first as the war assumed world-wide propor- 
tions to urge a policy of national preparation for defense. He advo- 
cated the establishment of universal military training and the im- 
mediate adoption of a great and expansive naval building pro- 
gramme. It was about this time that he wrote a book expressing his 
warlike views under the militant title of ' ' Fear God and Take Your 
Own Part." 

Early in 1916, the Colonel accompanied by Mrs. Roosevelt, made 
another trip, this time to Trinidad and other islands of the West 
Indies. As usual, wherever he went he was the object of great at- 

429 



430 ROOSEVELT IN WAR CRISIS 

tention, interest and enthusiasm. He was feted and received with 
acclaim by the colonial Governors of the islands and by the popula- 
tion. While engaged in this visit, he showed still further his mili- 
tant attitude in an answer to a question as to his possible candidacy 
for the coming presidential election. "The United States," he said, 
"would have to be in a more heroic mood than it had shown, if he 
were to again sit in the White House." 

In his series of pleas for preparedness and attacks on the admin- 
istration policy of "watchful waiting," with particular attention de- 
voted to hyphenates and pacifists, the Colonel in both his writings 
and speeches exhibited all of his accustomed vigor, fire and aggres- 
sively picturesque directness. 

HIS ABHORRENCE OF PACIFISTS. 

At the beginning of his campaign, he made the statement that 
"what I have to say in the future will not be for sapheads or molly- 
coddles." He further illuminated this expression with his definition 
of a mollycoddle in answer to a question as to its meaning that "A 
mollycoddle is nothing but a grown-up sissy — a grown-up sissy of 
either sex. ' ' 

In a speech at San Francisco in July, 1915, he went for the paci- 
fists, speaking derisively of "elocution as a substitute for action," 
and said that the "professional pacifists, the peace-at-any-price, 
non-resistance, universal arbitration people are seeking to Chinafy 
this country — to reduce it to the level of impotence to which old 
China sank." 

The average Chinaman, he said, had taken the view that China 
was "too proud to fight," and "in practice made evident his hearty 
approval of that abject pacifist song: 'I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be 
a Soldier.'" 

' ' The United States had treated The Hague Conventions as mere 
'scraps of paper,' when the demand was made that our signatures 
meant something." 

"No nation," he concluded, "ever amounted to anything if its 
population was composed of pacifists and poltroons, if its sons did 
not have the fighting edge, if its women did not feel as the mothers 
of Washington's Continentals felt, as the mothers of the men who 
followed Grant and Lee felt ; men who are not ready to fight for the 
right are not fit to live in a free democracy. ' ' 



ROOSEVELT IN WAR CRISIS 431 

At another time he defined the pacifists as "persons of inde- 
terminate sex, ' ' while at Plattsburg, in August, he hurled some of his 
choicest verbal missiles into their ranks. 

' ' The man who believes in peace at any price or in substituting 
all-inclusive arbitration treaties for an army and navy should in- 
stantly move to China. If he stays here then more manly people will 
have to defend him, and he is not worth defending. Let him get out 
of the country as quickly as possible," he decared. 

HOT SHOT FOR SLACKERS. 

Among other excerpts from his famous address were : "For thir- 
teen months America has played an ignoble part among the nations. 
We have tamely submitted to seeing the weak, whom we have cove- 
nanted to protect, wronged. We have seen our own men, women and 
children murdered on the high seas without action on our part. 

"The hyphenated American, the professional pacifist, the pol- 
troon, the college sissy," and the "man with a mean soul" were all 
placed in the category of those who would "Chinafy" the United 
States. 

"When the time comes," he said, "hyphenated Americans will 
fight side by side with us, or they will be shot. They will be given 
the opportunity to be shot in front or accejDt the certainty of being 
shot in the back. ' ' 

Again, "I do not want the applause of any man for that state- 
ment on international morality, unless that man has a burning sense 
of shame that the United States has not stood up for Belgium. There 
are some persons who consider the wrongs of Belgium quite as coldly 
as if they were told of them on a motion picture screen. ' ' 

Other hot shot included: "No man is fit to be free unless he is 
not merely willing, but eager, to fit himself to fight for his freedom, 
and no man can fight for his freedom unless he is trained to act in 
conjunction with his fellows. 

"The greatest need for the country is a first-class navy. Next 
we need a thoroughly trained regular or professional army of two 
hundred thousand men if we have universal military service, and of 
at least half a million if we do not have such universal military 
service. 

"The professional pacifist is as much out of place in a democracy 



482 ROOSEVELT IN WAR CRISIS 

as is the poltroon himself, and he is no better citizen then the pol- 
troon. 

"And the Americans who are not right thinking should be made 
to serve anyhow, for a democracy has full right to the service of its 
citizens. 

"As for the professional pacifists and the poltroons and college 
sissies who organize peace-at-any-price societies, and the mere money 
getters and mere money spenders, they should be made to understand 
that they have got to render whatever service the country demands. 

"The events of the last year have shown us that in any crisis the 
hyphenated American is an active force against America, an active 
force for wrong doing. 

"The professional German-American has shown himself within 
the last twelve months to be an enemy to this country as well as to 
humanity.' ' 

MORE TRENCHANT EPIGRAMS. 

Aroused by one of President Wilson's notes in the conversations 
between the United States and Germany over the outrages of the lat- 
ter 's submarines, Colonel Roosevelt referred to the chief executive in 
the following ironic language: "Mr. Wilson's elocution and Mr. Wil- 
son's action are in flat contradiction. His elocution is that of a 
Byzantine logothete — and Byzantine logothetes were not men of 
action." In explanation, he afterwards said that "The Byzantine 
logothetes were lawyers and orators, who believed in the efficacy of 
words and could not be persuaded to draw the sword. ' ' 

The Colonel was the guest of honor at a private dinner given by 
Elbert H. Gary, the steel king, in his Fifth Avenue home, in 
New York, in December of 1915, which was notable for the great num- 
ber of financial giants who were present, it being estimated that more 
than $12,000,000,000 were represented at the function. It aroused 
great discussion at the time, it being supposed that plans were being 
made to slate the guest of honor for the Republican nomination in 
1916, for the presidency. 

In Philadelphia in January, 1916, the Colonel got off some more 
of his trenchant epigrams on the subject of preparedness. Among 
other things he said: "There is absolute need of a larger national- 
ism." 



ROOSEVELT IN WAE CBIfcSiS 433 

"When we sit idly by, while Belgium is being overwhelmed, and, 
rolling up our eyes, prattle with unctuous self-righteousness about 
the duty of neutrality, we show that we do not really fear God ; on 
the contrary, we show an odious fear of the devil and a mean readi- 
ness to serve him. 

' ' The man who loves other nations as much as he does his own 
country stands on a par with a man who loves other women as much 
as he does his own wife. Once it was true, as Lincoln said, that this 
country could not endure half free and half slave. Today it is true 
that it could not endure half American and half foreign. 

' ' The United States can accomplish little for mankind, save inso- 
far as within its borders it develops an intense spirit of American- 
ism. A flabby cosmopolitanism, especially if it expresses itself 
through flabby pacifism, is silly and mischievous. It represents 
national emasculation. 

"World peace must rest on the willingness of nations with cour- 
age, cool foresight and readiness for self-sacrifice to defend the 
fabric of international law. ' ' 

"All the forces that make for industrial or military prepared- 
ness must be under the regulation of a single power, and that power 
the National Government. 

"The demagogue is at least as great an enemy of social advance- 
ment as the crooked champion of business and political privilege. 

"There should be one sovereignty to which all the great inter- 
state corporations doing an interstate business should be reasonably 
responsible. We cannot get permanently good results out of 40 or 50 
conflicting sovereignties. I believe in a national incorporation of any 
size engaged in interstate business. 

"The surest way to win the immigrant is to redeem the promises 
of America. Give him social and industrial justice. This can be 
done only through the effective regulation of business. 

"It is just as much a citizen's duty to defend his country as to 
pay his taxes. You can't conceive of it being left to citizens to 'vol- 
unteer' to pay their taxes. They must step up to the desk and settle. 
Necessary military sendee to the country is a duty that should no 
more be left to volunteers than the payment of taxes. 

"The professors of every form of hyphenated Americanism are 

28— T.l. 



434 ROOSEVELT IN WAR CRISIS 

as thoroughly the foes of this country as if they dwelled without its 
borders and made active war against it. 

"There has been talk about 1,000,000 men springing to arms be- 
tween sunrise and sunset if we were threatened with invasion. Yes, 
they would spring to arms ; 400,000 of them would spring to rifles ; 
400,000 black powder and squirrel guns, and the remaining 200,000 
would spring to scythes, hatchets and things. ' ' 

For some time prior to the Republican primaries in 1916, the 
Colonel was persistently mentioned as the candidate for the coming 
presidential fight, but he finally put all speculation and rumor to 
flight when he ordered his name removed from the Illinois ballot. 
Then followed a series of "love feasts" between Colonel Roosevelt 
and many of his former enemies acquired through the 1912 break 
with his party. When Justice Charles Evans Hughes was finally 
selected as the Republican standard bearer, the ex-President turned 
in for the candidate and lent his support both in articles and a num- 
ber of speeches about the country. 

HIS PROPOSED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. 

Determined to follow up his preparedness addresses with suit- 
able action, the Colonel in February, 1917, presented a plan to head 
an expeditionary force into France to fight Germany. It was his in- 
tention to raise a division of 100,000 men, fully equipped and prop- 
erly officered, and, with himself as a commissioned officer, place it at 
the disposal of the Entente generals. In fact he had prepared to raise 
it to an army of 200,000, if necessary. He expressed readiness to 
place 20,000 men in the field within 60 days. 

"Put our flag on the firing line," he urged the President during 
an unprecedented call at the White House. He told him about his 
plan to raise a fighting division of mature men of military experience 
to carry the stars and stripes into the Armageddon of Europe. 

The President listened interestedly, but announced no decision. 

The sentiment of President Wilson and his cabinet seemed at 
first to be in favor of the project. It was favorably reported to Con- 
gress, but later rejected by the House. In the meantime volunteers 
began to pour in until there was, on paper, a force of 180,000 men 
ready to go with the Colonel on his expedition. It was organized on 
paper to the smallest detail. 



EOOSEVELT IN WAE CRISIS 435 

Then came a hot fight in the Senate, when the project was both 
bitterly assailed and brilliantly defended, but the quietus was finally 
put on the plan when President Wilson swung his "big stick" and 
vetoed the project. It had, however, attracted widespread attention 
throughout the world, and many of the men in the proposed army en- 
listed anyhow and went abroad to serve their country. 

Two incidents in Colonel Roosevelt's post-presidential career, 
which were marked by his characteristic utterances, were the Barnes 
libel suit and an action brought by Colonel Roosevelt in 1912. The 
latter suit was inspired by an article published by George A. Xewett, 
editor of the ' ' Ishpeming Iron Ore, ' ' in his paper, in which he stated 
that "Mr. Roosevelt curses, lies and gets drunk frequently, and all 
his friends and intimates know this. ' ' 

Within a week of the publication of the article the Colonel had 
brought suit in court to recover damages for the alleged slander, or 
"pay for the error," as he expressed it. 

Many of his old-time friends rallied to his support to refute the 
allegations made by the defendant. 

The Colonel himself took the stand and facing the Michigan jury 
reviewed in detail phases of his life. He gave character for sobriety 
as "not a total abstainer," but never intoxicated in his life. 

"At public dinners," snapped the witness, "I sometimes drink a 
glass of champagne, perhaps two ; on an average I may say, one glass 
of champagne a month, and I do that in public. 

"There was a fine bed of mint at the White House," continued 
the witness. ' ' I may have drunk a half dozen mint juleps in a yea r. ' ' 
A light supply of wine and liquor was taken on the African expedi- 
tion, and of this a bottle of brandy was taken along for himself he 
said. The physician of the outfit measured it out for him from time 
to time for chills or other reasons. 

"I touched nothing else," continued the witness, "and the doctor, 
apparently out of whim, at the end of the trip measured what was left 
and found that I had consumed just seven ounces." 

The witness expressed a detestation for whisky and beer. Of 
the latter he could remember having takenTmt one mouthful in his 
life. That was at the Deutscher's Club, in Milwaukee, where he was 
urged to pay the tributes of a swallow of the amber brew which 
forms one of the city's leading industries. As for whisky, he said he 



436 ROOSEVELT IN WAR CRISIS 

got it mostly after protest and the insistence of the doctors, who put 
a teaspoonful of it in goblets of milk which they sometimes forced 
upon him on occasions of extreme fatigue in the midst of political 
campaigns. 

The weight of evidence proved so overwhelmingly in Colonel 
Roosevelt's favor that Mr. Newett, the defendant, took the stand and 
retracted the charges, saying: "It is fair to the plaintiff to state 
that I have been unable to find in any section of the country any indi- 
vidual witness who is willing to personally state that he has seen Mr. 
Roosevelt drink to excess. I am forced to the conclusion that I was 
mistaken." 

Although suit was brought for $10,000, it was ruled that as the 
consideration involved was not a monetary one, so much as the fair 
name of the plaintiff and that that had been vindicated, a verdict 
should be rendered for nominal damages, which under the law of 
Michigan called for six cents. 

The Colonel expressed lively satisfaction at the verdict, saying 
later : " I have wanted to nail that lie for a long time, and now it is 
nailed." 

THE BARNES LIBEL SUIT. 

In July, 1914, Colonel Roosevelt aroused William Barnes, Repub- 
lican State Chairman of New York, to action in a suit against him for 
$50,000, on a charge of criminal libel, following a statement issued by 
the Colonel, in which he pictured "the rottenness" of the State Gov- 
ernment as ' ' directly due to the dominance in politics of Mr. Murphy 
and his sub-bosses — aided and abetted, when necessary, by Mr. 
Barnes and the sub-bosses of Mr. Barnes." 

In his complaint Barnes said that the Roosevelt statement in 
effect was charging the State Chairman with part responsibility for 
political corruption. 

Colonel Roosevelt, in answer to the suit, accepted the challenge 
with the liveliest evidence of satisfaction and said that he would do 
all he could to hurry forward the suit. "I regard the action of Mr. 
Barnes, as the most striking proof," he snapped, in his verbal reply 
to notice of the suit, "that the bosses recognize in me personally the 
one enemy that the type of machine government for which they stand 
has to fear, and furthermore recognize that the most dangerous 



EOOSEVELT IN WAR CRISIS 437 

menace to the present system of bipartisan politics in this State is 
contained in the movement to elect Mr. Hinman on a non-partisan 
ticket. 

"I shall continue with increased aggressiveness to attack Messrs. 
Barnes and Murphy and the kind of machine politics which they typ- 
ify, which I hold must be eliminated from the State/' 

In the statement which drew the fire of the Republican State 
Chairman, the Colonel said : "In New York State we see at its worst 
the development of the system of bi-partisan and boss rule. The out- 
come of this system is necessarily that invisible government which 
the Progressive Party was in large part founded to oppose. It is 
impossible to secure the economic, social and industrial reforms to 
which we are pledged until this invisible government of the party 
bosses working through the alliance between crooked business and 
crooked politics is rooted out of our government system. 

"The State government is rotten throughout in most of its de- 
partments. 

' ' The interests of Mr.' Barnes and Mr. Murphy are fundamentally 
identical, and when the issue between popular rights and corrupt and 
machine-ruled government is clearly drawn the two bosses will always 
be found fighting on the same side, openly or covertly giving one 
another such support as can with safety be rendered. 

"They really form the all-powerful invisible government which 
is responsible for the maladministration and corruption in the public 
offices of the State." 

VERDICT FOR ROOSEVELT. 

The suit came up for trial in April of 1915, at Syracuse. Colonel 
Roosevelt was the principal witness on the stand and poured verbal 
hot-shot into his opponent as he produced a mass of testimony sub- 
stantiating his charges against the boss, in addition to many letters 
and communications from Barnes, which in a sensational manner laid 
bare many of the nefarious workings of the machine in the Stale 

Evidence was produced by the Colonel tending to show that 
Barnes was a grafter and a manipulator in shaping party policies or 
selecting party candidates for office and in the raising of funds for 
campaign purposes. He told how he "had tried to make a good citi- 
zen out of Barnes and gave it up as a bad job when he discovered that 



438 ROOSEVELT IN WAR CRISIS 

Barnes had what he called a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde nature and 
could do nothing with him. ' ' 

Nearly a month after the case was opened in court the jury 
found a verdict for the Colonel, absolving him from the charge of 
criminal libel. Some dispute was caused by the action of one juror, 
who wanted to have Mr. Roosevelt divide with the plaintiff the costs 
of the suit, amounting to about $300. The case was finally settled by 
the complete vindication of the Colonel. 

Barnes, however, remained his eternal enemy and, at many future 
stages of his career, he and the New York boss clashed as the oppor- 
tunity offered for one or the other to penetrate his opponent's armor. 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 
COLONEL, MAN OF MANY SIDES. 

Home Life Ideally Happy — Favorite With Children — Loved Out- 
door Life and Athletic Sports — Had Many Thrilling Adven- 
tures—How He Trained a "Bad" Man — A "Strenuous Day"— 
Played Pranks on His Friends — Maker of Picturesque Phrases. 

LOOKING back from the day of Colonel Roosevelt's death, it 
seemed but a short time since the public had read of the pranks 
of the Roosevelt youngsters at the White House in Washington or 
the family home at Oyster Bay. Those same youngsters were grown ; 
some of them had children of their own. The boys all became sol- 
diers. Quentin died for his country. Archie was seriously wounded. 
Theodore, Jr., wore wound stripes. 

Colonel Roosevelt loved his family dearly and his home life was 
ideal. His wife was helpful and sympathetic and she caught the 
enthusiasm of her husband in his every undertaking. This same spirit 
was infectious among the children, of whom there were six — Alice, 
the only child by Colonel Roosevelt's first wife; Theodore, Kermit, 
Archibald, Quentin and Ethel. Alice became Mrs. Nicholas Long- 
worth and Ethel Mrs. Richard Derby, whose husband at the time of 
Colonel Roosevelt's death was in France, as an army officer. 

The children were brought up as Americans and nothing else. 
They went to the public schools, they mixed with other children, they 
were taught to abhor snobbishness. They received loyalty from their 
father ; they gave loyalty in return. 

When they lived at the White House they had their pets— ponies, 
dogs, cats, birds and even mice. They were treated as chums by their 
father and were allowed considerable freedom. One day Mrs. Roose- 
velt saw the boys acting suspiciously and she followed them to the 
stable, where they were just about to pull off an old-time chicken fight 
between two game cocks that had been given them. 

Ordinary pranks of childhood were never suppressed by Colonel 

439 



440 COLONEL— MAN OF MANY SIDES 

Eoosevelt or his wife. They reasoned that in due time the children 
would pick up sedateness and sound judgment, and they simply 
guided their boys and girls in the right direction. 

There was genuine love and trustfulness. In Washington the 
President took the children with him on many trips to the country 
and at Oyster Bay when the boys grew older he went camping with 
them. Sometimes the trips were made in rowboats, at other times it 
would be a hike. They carried blankets and provisions and at dusk 
picked a camping spot, built a fire, prepared the meal, and after tales 
of the Wild West were told and the night thickened they rolled them- 
selves into their blankets and went to sleep. 

On many trips Mrs. Roosevelt accompanied her husband, for she 
was a lover of riding horses and had several of her own. Alice, too, 
was an excellent horsewoman. Until a few years before her hus- 
band's death Mrs. Eoosevelt did a great deal of tramping. She wore 
a short skirt and alpine hat and faced all sorts of weather cour- 
ageously. On the trips she was always accompanied by her hus- 
band or some of the children. 

A COMPANION OF CHILDREN. 

Theodore Roosevelt's heart went out to children and they loved 
him. The trustfulness of the child found instant response with him. 
Youngsters ran to him and romped with him. It was no uncommon 
thing at Oyster Bay to see him heading a party of his own children 
and their friends on a tramp. He delighted in organizing picnic 
parties and they always included Mrs. Roosevelt and a lot of boys 
and girls. 

With several boys he started off on a twenty-one-mile horseback 
ride across Long Island. A big thunderstorm came up, but the lads 
were plucky and the whole party kept on through the woods, while 
the lightning flashed and the thunder boomed. One of the little fellows 
said afterward that confidence in Colonel Roosevelt gave them cour- 
age to meet the storm. 

On another occasion when he was out with a lot of children he 
tumbled into the water. " There goes our daddy," yelled the little 
son of General Leonard Wood. Every child who came in contact with 
the man felt that way — that he was daddy. 

Colonel Roosevelt was a member of the Dutch Reformed Church. 



COLONEL— MAN OF MANY SIDES Ml 

His wife belonged to the Episcopal Church and every Sunday the 
father and mother took the children to services. They loved the 
church near the Long Island home, for 'Colonel Roosevelt had taught 
them to regard the services as more of a pleasure than an enforced 
duty. 

His home was a real home, rather than the habitat of a personage. 
He did not encourage political callers to visit him at Oyster Bay, but 
he wanted those whom he trusted and who "had nothing up their 
sleeve" to enjoy his hospitality. The interior of the house was 
marked for the plain taste in furnishings, the only elaborate decora- 
tions being buffalo robes, bearskins and other trophies of the chase. 
These were found in nearly every room. The residence is a rambling 
frame structure with vine-clad porches. It commands a fine view of 
the water. 

Sagamore Hill at Oyster Bay was always the real home of the 
Roosevelt family. It was here that Colonel Roosevelt spent his boy- 
hood. The estate showed the love of the master for nature. The 
roads are old-fashioned gravel thoroughfares and there are plenty 
of trees, oak and maple. The underbrush runs wild. There are hay- 
fields and gardens and a fine big barn and stables. All in all it is just 
like the average well-kept estate of the average American, with Long 
Island Sound off in the distance to lend its share toward making it a 
delightful and restful spot. 

MRS. ROOSEVELT'S PERSONALITY. 

Here Colonel Roosevelt threw off all his cares ; here he worked 
and played with equal enthusiasm. Here the children romped and 
gathered happiness. Mrs. Roosevelt, although absorbed by the care 
of the children, was an admirable hostess. In Washington the State 
affairs at the White House were looked upon as out of the ordinary. 
She had entered into the social life with a hearty will and she suffered 
a breakdown. At Sagamore Hill she recuperated and was as blithe 
as ever. The guests at the Roosevelt home felt that they were part of 
the family. 

To his wife he ascribed much of his success and happiness, and 
her modest personality was a pervading influence through his career. 
She did not figure at any time in the gossip of society reporters and 
newspaper correspondents, and Mr. Roosevelt made it emphatically 
understood that her wishes must be respected. 



442 COLONEL— MAN OF MANY SIDES 

His notions of family life were decided and in this connection he 
coined one of his many phrases which became a household word in 
America — race suicide. It occurred in an extremely " plain" talk 
before the Mothers' Congress, in March, 1905, when he deplored the 
sinister statistics as to divorce. He characterized easy divorce as * ' a 
bane to any nation and a curse to society. ' ' 

"If a woman is sunk in vapid selfishness," he asserted, "or lets 
her nature be twisted so that she prefers a sterile pseudo-intellectu- 
ality, if she deliberately foregoes the blessings of motherhood from 
viciousness, coldness or self-indulgence, such a creature merits con- 
tempt as heartily as any visited on the soldier who runs away in 
battle." 

COLONEL ROOSEVELT'S PRESENTS. 

Anent the Colonel's life of simplicity, it was an interesting obser- 
vation on the part of many visitors to Sagamore Hill, that there was 
a complete absence of an up-to-date lighting equipment. Callers were 
surprised to see Colonel Roosevelt reading or writing by the light of 
an ordinary oil lamp. In the last few years of his life the home at 
Oyster Bay was wired, the Colonel explaining "that he just had to 
put in electricity, as the servants made him do it." 

As the years passed the children one by one went away to college ; 
in time Alice married, then Theodore and Ethel and later Archie. The 
interest of their father never altered and he sought every opportunity 
to be with them. The companionship with his wife grew closer. Na- 
tional affairs occupied a great part of his time, but Colonel Roose- 
velt's attachment for his home and his children increased. He saw 
the boys go to war and his heart was with them. Friends said that 
he was constantly thinking about them and he showed great concern 
for them. 

Colonel Roosevelt's home at Oyster Bay contains an unique col- 
lection of presents given to him by rulers and other persons of note 
in all parts of the world. There is a large oval room, in which his 
gifts and hunting trophies are displayed. Among them is a rug 
worth many thousands of dollars from the Sultan of Turkey. There 
is also a pair of elephant tusks, among the longest in the world, from 
the Emperor of Abyssinia. There are snuff boxes from Pope Leo 
XIII, valuables from the last Empress of China, gifts from Indian 
chiefs, presents from Emperor William, King Victor Emmanual, Czar 



COLONEL— MAN OF MANY SIDES 443 

Nicholas, the President of France, King Alphonso, Emperor Francis 
Joseph and from representatives of many governments in South 
America. 

He maintained five servants — three in the house, a chauffeur and 
a gardener. The Colonel was greatly interested in bird life, and 
every spring he had signs posted on trees about his grounds, forbid- 
ding boys to disturb their nests. It is said he became interested in 
bird life as a result of a visit to Sir Edward Grey (now Viscount), at 
that time British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, who is an 
amateur ornithologist. 

While Colonel Roosevelt was left a considerable fortune by his 
father, it has been said by some persons who knew him well that in 
later years he had to write for a living. The expenses of his many 
lours and the large requirements of his family made serious drains 
upon his income. 

AN ESTIMATE OF ROOSEVELT. 

An interesting sidelight on Colonel Roosevelt's character is given 
by Mrs. Bellamy Storer, a friend of the Roosevelt family for many 
years and wife of the former United States Ambassador to Austria- 
Hungary, who was recalled by Colonel Roosevelt while President. 
Mrs. Storer, describing a visit to Oyster Bay in 1896, after President 
McKinley's first nomination, said: 

"Theodore Roosevelt seemed to us at that time like a younger 
brother, and Archie was Mr. Storer 's godson, so it was a great pleas- 
ure to see them all. Their life was ideal in its simplicity, and no one 
could be more amusing than the host — no one ever knew what he 
would say next. He was certainly very witty himself, and he caused 
wit in others. 

"He used, during this time, to get on the warpath over Sienkie- 
wicz's novels, 'The Deluge' and 'Fire and Sword,' and when he was 
quite sated with laughter, his face would be radiant, and he would 
shout aloud with delight. He seemed as innocent as Teddy in ' Helen 's 
Babies' who wanted everything 'bluggy.' But his primitive passion 
for killing has been wreaked only upon lower animals. His vitupera- 
tion was most amusing, and he had a most extraordinary vocabulary, 
and at this period his attacks were as harmless as target-shooting — 
there were no mangled corpses after tlie fusillade. 



444 COLONEL— MAN OF MANY SIDES 

''Never in our lives have we laughed so much or so often as when 
Theodore Roosevelt, was our guest or our host. Light-hearted memo- 
ries linger about Sagamore Hill of those days and the little house in 
Nineteenth Street. At this period (to all of us who knew him well 
and were fond of him) Theodore Roosevelt seemed never to have 
grown up, and as though he would be no more mature than one of 
'Helen's Babies.' 

' ' He had all the attraction, for this reason, of a fascinating, 
rather fractious child. He was, in consequence, an irresponsible 
father, taking his small boys on unconscionably long walks through 
the woods, himself clad in thick stockings and knickerbockers, the 
children barelegged, showing the next day the most pitiful scars from 
briars and welts from poison ivy, for the rhus-toxicodendron grows 
plentifully at Oyster Bay. He preached stoicism to the little boys, 
himself always, however, wearing thick stockings in the woods. ' ' 

There stood out in the life of Theodore Roosevelt an overpower- 
ing love for outdoor life and athletic sports. From the time he was 
a child to virtually the day of his death he was a consistent sports- 
man. Exercise was almost a religion, travel delighted him and every 
form of athletic games aroused his enthusiasm. 

A STRENUOUS LIFE. 

Although he denied he was a good shot, he was a famous hunter 
and he killed a greater variety of animals than any other American. 
He preferred the strenuous side, which explains why he took less of 
an interest in fishing. He rode horses, handled boats, liked to box 
and wrestle, took long walks, fenced, played football and chopped 
trees. 

He bore the scars of many accidents. Only recently did it become 
known that for years he was blind in one eye, the result of a boxing 
bout with an army officer. While living on his ranch in Dakota he 
was thrown by a broncho and three ribs were broken. He tried to 
cross the Little Missouri and nearly lost his life in the quicksand. 
Once his horse tumbled down a hundred-foot embankment and he was 
badly bruised. 

He carried a scar received from a rapier while fencing with Gen- 
eral Leonard Wood. There was a scar on his left shoulder where he 
was mauled by a grizzly bear. With him the Spanish War was a 



COLONEL— MAN OF MANY SIDES 445 

great game and at San Juan he got a scratch from a piece of explod- 
ing shell. In a trolley accident at Pittsfield, Mass., he was badly 
bruised and "Bill" Craig, a secret service man, was killed. He car- 
ried the bullet of a would-be assassin. While he was at college he 
was hurt several times playing football. 

Colonel Eoosevelt liked sport because he believed in it and be- 
cause he sincerely felt it made good citizens. 

"I have fought and not always won, but I can say that I always 
came up for the next fight when I lost," he said in one of his speeches. 
He detested cowardice. "The boy that won't fight is not worth his 
salt, ' ' he declared. "I have taught my boys to take their own part. 1 
do not know which 1 should punish my boys for quickest — for cruelty 
or for flinching. ' ' 

A GREAT HORSEMAN. 

When he was Governor of New York he employed M. J. Dwyer, 
a professional fighter, to stay at Albany and put him through a course 
of training every day. When he was President he fitted up a little 
gymnasium in the White House. He boxed with noted pugilists and 
went to the mat with famous wrestlers. Once he sent for Sandow and 
had the strong man give a demonstration of his skill. He took a 
course in jiu jitsu and became so adept that he could seize a man by 
the coat collar and throw him over his head. 

Up until very recent years Colonel Roosevelt was an earnest 
horseman. This was his favorite form of exercise when he was Presi- 
dent. Accompanied by one or two of his friends, he would start off 
for a jaunt of several hours and nearly always he made runs across 
country, sweeping across fields, taking fences and small streams and 
dashing through woods. 

In every sport and in every form of exercise Colonel Eoosevelt 
went at the job in a whole-hearted, enthusiastic manner. When he 
played tennis he played it with dash and he kept his opponent very 
busy. When he walked it was not a ladylike trip of a few blocks, but 
a regular tramp at top speed. He put his heart into it and he took 
the heart out of the chap who happened to be with him. When he 
went out rowing he covered plenty of water and he came back snort- 
ing with the glory of the exercise. Tn everything he did lie demon- 
strated the strenuous life. 



446 COLONEL— MAN OF MANY SIDES 

For more than fifteen years he took regular trips to the hunting 
districts of the West, mostly in Colorado. Just before he was sworn 

in as Vice President in 1901 he went after mountain lions and he 
brought back the finest collection of skins that the Smithsonian Insti- 
tution ever mounted. Four of the cougars in his collection were killed 
with the hunting knife. One lion was shot at night when Colonel 
Rooosevelt was compelled to lean far over a cliff to make the hit. 

Several years later he made another trip to Colorado, and with 
his old friend Goff slew more mountain lions and numerous bob cats 
and bears. He has patiently stalked mountain sheep, he trapped 
wolves, he hunted in every State where big game was to be found 
from Maine to the Pacific Coast and from Louisiana to the Canadian 
border. 

A ROOSEVELT ANECDOTE. 

In Africa he met the most dangerous animals known to man, and 
he showed the same preparedness as marked his whole career. His 
expedition was well equipped. He took precautions against the dread 
tstese fly, responsible for the sleeping sickness from which there is 
no cure, and none of his party suffered. On every hunt he planned so 
well that there were no fatalities due to carelessness. 

Although his poor eyesight kept him from being a crack shot, 
Colonel Eoosevelt was what they call in the West a "sure game 
shot"; that is, he had the faculty of killing game or animals. He 
always attributed this to his care at sighting. The real reason, accord- 
ing to expert hunters, was that he was cool. An example of his iron 
nerve was shown in many of his encounters with mid animals, some 
of which are described in preceding chapters. 

Following his notable South American trip, there was one more 
trip that the Colonel wanted to take and he had really made some 
preparations toward it. This was a journey to the South Sea Islands. 
It was never carried out, because the war broke out and the great 
sportsman thought his larger duty was in remaining in America. 

Probably the favorite among the thousands of Roosevelt anec- 
dotes is that one about the bad man and the two-gun bully whom he 
thrashed in his ranching days. 

The incident is thus described by William T. Dantz, who ranched 
with the Colonel in North Dakota: 

"Of all the 'bad' men— and their name was legion— 'Bad-Man 



COLONEL— MAN OF MANY SIDES 447 

Finnegan' was 'cock of the walk.' He said he came from Bitter 
Creek, where the further up you went the worse the people got, and 
that his headquarters were at the fountain head. His heart got bad 
one day after filling his skin with Bob's 'conversation juice,' so, 
taking a commanding position in the center of the town, he ' pumped 
lead ' into everything within his line of vision. The first shot, through 
the office of 'The Bad Land's Cowboy,' sent the editor of that publi- 
cation flying into a washout ; the second took off the corner of the pool 
table in 'Blood Ean John's' oyster grotto, while various other shots 
judiciously scattered soon had the whole population hiding in the 
shallow hollow at the foot of the bluffs. 

CAPTURING A BAD MAN. 

"Satisfied with this popular respect for his prowess, 'Bad-Man 
Finnegan' sauntered down to the river and entering an old scow 
there floated on to other fields. Passing the Elkhorn Ranch, he spied 
Roosevelt's neat hunting boat tied to the bank. All boats looked alike 
to Mr. Finnegan, so abandoning his own he appropriated the other 
and went his way. 

"When the young ranchman discovered the loss he was 'sure 
hostile. ' Securing another boat, he started in pursuit, the swif t cur- 
rent carrying pursued and pursuer alike. 

"Nearly a hundred miles were thus covered, when a fortunate 
late ice-gorge enabled Roosevelt to overtake and capture Finnegan 
and also the latter 's partner, whom he had picked up. 

"Here was a nice 'load of poles' — a hundred and more miles from 
civilization with two ugly characters on "his hands. West of the Kill- 
deer Mountains, far out over the divide, Roosevelt knew that Jack 
Mason had a ranch, so with his prisoners before him, he marched 
them through the wilderness to that place, where he secured a team, 
finally landing Finnegan and his partner in Dickinson jail. 

"Dr. V. H. Stickney, whose twenty-odd years' work as physician 
and surgeon had been spent healing the injured and maimed fron- 
tiersmen, who within a radius of fifty miles were brought to him for 
treatment, thus describes Roosevelt's appearance when he reached 
Dickinson that time : 

" 'He was all teeth and eyes; his clothes were in rags from forc- 
ing his way through the wild rose bushes that cover the river bottoms 



448 COLONEL— MAN OF MANY SIDES 

down there; he was scratched, bruised, hungry and in tatters; but 
gritty and determined as a bulldog.' " 

Strenuosity was observed in his daily routine year in and out, 
his adage being "life is action. " An example of it might be cited from 
his activity on one day — May 10, 1905 — when returning from a long 
tour over the country. He began with a brief address to the railroad 
men in the yards at Clinton, la., followed with a speech to citizens at 
the station, and along the route addressed gatherings at Sterling, 
Dixon, DeKalb and Geneva, 111. At noon he was the guest in Chicago 
of the Merchants' Club, delivering another address; at three o'clock 
he spoke at the Hamilton Club, holding an inf ormal reception later at 
the Harvard Club, and at five o'clock he reviewed members of the 
National Association of Lumber Manufacturers. 

SOUGHT BY LABOR UNIONS. 

In the evening of this day he was the guest of honor of the Iro- 
quois Club, leading Democratic club of the Middle West, and before 
boarding the train East he received and read a petition from the 
Teamsters' Association, which was on strike. To the latter he made 
a statement of 600 words, so effective that the agitators were silenced. 
His addresses for the day, aggregating many thousands of words, 
had not been dictated to a stenographer and were not "prepared" 
otherwise than he planned them while "resting the night before." 
On his arrival home he declared that he felt "bully" and pitched 
immediately into a great mass of correspondence. 

Eoosevelt was the only police official to whom the labor unions 
of New York came for counsel on friendly terms. Usually the police 
and the unions were at odds. A small strike, in which there was much 
bitterness between the strikers' pickets and the patrolmen, brought 
this condition forcibly to Eoosevelt 's attention. He promptly called 
a meeting of the leaders, spent an evening with them discussing their 
grievances, and finally made the very simple and sensible suggestion 
that they appoint duly authorized pickets whose rights the police 
should protect. After that there was perfect confidence between the 
police department and the labor unions. 

One day Senator Burton, of Kansas, went to the White House 
in behalf of an applicant for office. 

"I want to know, Mr. President, whether you intend to appoint 
that man," he said brusquely. 



COLONEL— MAN OF MANY SIDES 449 

Mr. Roosevelt was equally terse. 

"Senator, your man has been in the penitentiary, hasn't he!" 
Roosevelt's eyes snapped behind his glasses and his teeth showed 
ominously. 

"Oh, that was a long time ago," answered the Senator. "It was 
an indiscretion of youth and the man has lived it down." 

"Well," said the President, bringing his teeth together with a 
click, " I '11 tell you what we will do. We will first take up the list of 
men who haven't been in the penitentiary, and then, if we cannot find 
a man suitable for the place, we will take up the list of men who have 
been in the penitentiary." 

John Morley, after living in the White House for two days, said 
of Roosevelt : 

' ' I have seen two tremendous works of nature in America. One 
is Niagara Falls and the other is the President of the United States." 

When Mr. Bacon became Assistant Secretary of State he had a 
good illustration of the rough symbolism by which Roosevelt fre- 
quently impressed his virile spirit upon his associates. Mr. Bacon 
was one of the most carefully attired men in the country. He was 
invited to go for a walk with the President, and when he appeared 
was dressed "within an inch of his life." Mr. Pinchot, of the Bureau 
of Forestry, also attended. 

After a long walk the party turned along the bank of the Poto- 
mac. As night fell they found themselves at the edge of a deep, wide 
pond lying between them and the White House. Without a minute's 
hesitation, the President put his money and watch in his hat and 
plunged into the water, swimming 300 feet before he reached the 
opposite shore. Mr. Bacon, in his new suit of clothes and with a 
tightly rolled umbrella in his hand, was forced to swim across with 
Mr. Pinchot. 

"What difference does it make?" said the President, as the three 
dripping figures started for the White House. "It was the shortest, 
quickest way and a wetting does no harm." 

On another one of these walks, Mr. Jusserand, the French^ Ambas- 
sador, started to swim the Potomac with the President and others of 

the party. 

Just as they were about to get into the river to swim, somebody 
said to Mr. Jusserand, "Mr. Ambassador, Mr. Ambassador, you 

29— T.R. 



450 COLONEL— MAN OF MANY SIDES 

haven't taken off your gloves," to which he promptly responded, "I 
think I will leave them on ; we might meet ladies. ' ' 

General Frederick Funston was taken on one of these walks with 
the President one day, and they came to a canal. The President and 
the others swam the canal with all their clothes on. General Funston 
did not. "Come on, General," called the President. "You are not 
afraid to swim the canal, are you!" 

"No," cried General Funston. "I'm not afraid, and I'm not a 

fool, either." General Funston told that anecdote in Vera Cruz 

and later Mr. Koosevelt confirmed it at Oyster Bay, taking occasion 
then to say of General Funston : 

"I like Funston. He's a real American, and he's fighting ugly." 

Colonel Eoosevelt was a humorist. Describing his ranch fore- 
man, whose name was Hell Roaring Brown, he said the man once 
knocked down a foe. Roosevelt said he asked Brown if he hit him 
hard. 

"Hell Roaring" replied that if the blow he delivered hadn't 
knocked that man plumb down he ' ' would have walked 'round behind 
him to see what was propping him up. " 

In speaking of a political opponent, he said: "Don't speak of 
him as my enemy. I like him. He is interesting. It is pleasant to 
see how many ways he has of not doing the thing he has exactly prom- 
ised to do." 

And again : 

"Oh, I think Brother is a sincere friend. But his money 

is very sensitive. If he acts peculiarly when he twitches, we must 
find a way to forgive him. ' ' 

NEAREST TO INDIAN FIGHTING. 

The Colonel was authority for the tale about the time when, 
riding his ranges alone, reports of hostile Indians about notwithstand- 
ing, he noticed three mounted braves converging in his direction. He 
slid off his pony, set the sights of his rifle for long range and showed 
himself aiming carefully, but did not pull the trigger. The trio talked 
it over and sheered off. Colonel Roosevelt said it was the nearest he 
ever had come to actual Indian fighting. 

The Colonel's telegram to a Western friend immediately after 
he was shot, in 1912, mystified many, who took it for anything from 
delirium to a private wire code, that he had to explain it. 



COLONEL— MAN OF MANY SIDES 451 

" Probably a .38 or a .45 frame," he had telegraphed. The allu- 
sion was to revolvers and their calibres, and had been a stock phrase 
of some old plainsman whom he and his friend had known. 

It is too bad that no dictophone was present one night during 
the Barnes libel trial session, when Colonel Roosevelt was a guest at 
the home of James R. Day, Chancellor of Syracuse University, with 
whom in earlier years he had more than once broken lances, or pos- 
sibly bludgeons. 

Their meeting was a little formal for three minutes, at the end 
of which the Colonel found out the Chancellor too had once lived in 
the still wild West. From then till past midnight they sat close to- 
gether, roaring and chuckling and slapping one another on the knee 
as they matched good frontier stories. The rest of the company 
listened in a kind of awed delight. 

During the same visit the Colonel kept up his horseback exer- 
cise, riding about the residence streets on a mount which a local 
admirer had loaned. One afternoon a prominent Syracusean looked 
up from his newspaper on the front porch and called to his wife 
upstairs, " There goes Theodore Roosevelt on horseback." 

A LOVER OF CHILDREN. 

At the moment the six-year-old son of the house was in the bath- 
tub and in nothing else. He heard his father, rushed scampering and 
spattering downstairs, out the front door and right down the walk to 
the middle of the street, hoping for a glimpse of his idol. That night 
at a reception the father told the Colonel of it. 

"By George — by George!" — and the Colonel chuckled. "You 
bring that boy to me — I want to see him." He was brought, duly 
clad and was mounted for half an hour on the Roosevelt knee, and told 
stories about Injuns and lions and giraffes and grizzlies. 

Tales about him with children here and there are innumerable. 
There was the little invalid in Portland, Ore., carried to the curb on 
a stretcher to see him go by, when he was passing through in 1903. 
He noticed her, too. 

There was the day in February, 1911, when walking back to the 
office of the "Outlook" after luncheon, he found a lost nine-year-old, 
newly arrived with his parents, by way of Ellis Island, crying in the 
streets. He dried the child's eyes and took him to a police station, 



452 COLONEL— MAN OF MANY SIDES 

where he turned him over to the matron, and then swapped old memo- 
ries with the bluecoats behind the desk, one or two of whom had been 
on the force when he was commissioner. 

On an autumn day in 1917 he sat .for two hours at the elbow of 
Justice Hoyt in Children's Court and heard the cases and acted as 
unofficial consulting Justice. Once, leaning over, he whispered to a 
youngster: "It's all right this time, sonny. You're all right. But 
remember, don't do it again, or he'll send you away! He'll send you 
away!" Again, after hearing how some other juvenile malefactor of 
little wealth had made full restitution to the pushcart man or some- 
body, the Roosevelt fist thumped the arm of the chair, with "That's 
a fine boy ! That kind make first-rate citizens ! ' ' 

The house where the Colonel was born used to figure in anec- 
dotage. It was an old brick front, 28 East Twentieth Street. In 1903 
a detective squad raiding gamblers' places went through it. All the 
gambling evidence they could find was a pile of ashes in a fireplace, 
and a quaint gathering of sportive and furtive gentry busily playing 
checkers. But on a mantelpiece they discovered a hand-printed card, 
with the truthful legend: "President Roosevelt Was Born in This 
House." 

STORIES ABOUT ROOSEVELT. 

This has been vouched for by members of his family : On the east 
side of Madison Square, when he used to play as a little shaver, stood 
a Presbyterian church. The sexton one day noticed the little 'un 
timidly peeping in. But he wouldn't come in for a. look around ; noth- 
ing could induce him. "I know what you've got in there," he ex- 
plained. And later he confided in his mother that what the sexton had 
in there which was terrible was "the zeal," probably something like a 
dragon or an alligator. This reduced itself to his memory of Psalm 
lxixx, 9 : "For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." 

On one occasion the Colonel's devoted friend, the late Jacob A. 
Riis, was making a stump speech for the Colonel, when a voice from 
a rear seat whined: "You say Theodore Roosevelt is a brave man. 
How about his shooting a Spaniard in the back?" 

Riis retorted: "The man who says that is either a liar or a fool. 
Which of the two are you?" And in the ensuing turmoil, a burly 
cabman came to the speaker's rescue with: "Let 'im alone! Let 
Perfessor Riis alone! Theodore Roos'velt is the greatest man alive 
— and I druv him once !" 



COLONEL— MAN OF MANY SIDES 453 

He liked new martial or sporting implements — things he could 
play with — as keenly as any boy. In 1906 the Mikado sent the Presi- 
dent as a token of esteem a complete suit of Samurai armor from the 
thirteenth century. The President excused himself to an informal 
caller for a moment and off with his frock coat and on with the armor, 
presto ! and he made a costume parade of one up and down the cor- 
ridors of the White House. 

"When, as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, he was sharpening 
our modern naval gunnery by what seemed to Congressmen scan- 
dalous sums of money for target practice, he secured an $800,000 
appropriation. At the end of the month he was back for $500,000 
more. "But — er — but what did you do with the other?" the Con- 
gressmen gasped. " Burned it!" he snapped. 

PHRASES THAT HAVE BECOME FAMILIAR. 

Colonel Roosevelt attained an international reputation as a maker 
of picturesque phrases. His speeches were dotted with them and 
many of them immediately slipped into the vernacular of the country. 
Among the more famous of these expressions were : 

"All I ask is a square deal. Give every man a fair chance ; don't 
let any one harm him, and don 't let him harm any one. ' ' 

1 ' Abyssinian treatment. ' ' 

i ' A man cannot act both without and within the part} r ; he can do 
either, but he cannot possibly do both." 

"A man of hard mind and soft body." 

"A man who cannot take his own part is a nuisance in every 
community." 

"Ananias Club." 

' ' Armageddon. ' ' 

"A ton of talk weighs less than nothing if it is not backed by 
action." 

"Beaten to a frazzle." 

"Buck the line hard." 

"Bully!" 

"By George!" 

1 ' Byzantine Logothete. ' ' 

' ' Captains of industry. ' ' 

"Cave of Abdullam." 



454 COLONEL— MAN OF MANY SIDES 

"Dee-lighted!" 
"Eyes to the front!" 
"Fear God and take your own part." 
"Fit as a bull moose." 
' ' Good trusts and bad trusts. ' ' 
' ' Government by convulsion. ' ' 

"Holes alone mean hits, and the shots that hit are the shots that 
count. ' ' 

"Hyphenated Americans." 

"I built the Panama Canal after two hundred years of conver- 
sation." 

" I '11 hew them hip and thigh ! ' ' 

"In the long fight for righteousness, the watchword for all of us 
is ' spend and be spent.' It is a little matter whether any one man 
fails or succeeds ; the cause shall not fail, for it is the cause of man- 
kind." 

'Let us pay with our bodies for our souls' desire." 
: Limburger Envoy!" (Herman Eitter.) 
: Malefactors of great wealth. ' ' 
: Molly-coddles. ' ' 
: Muck-rakers." 
' My hat 's in the ring ! ' ' 
; Nature-fakers." 

No community can make much headway if it does not contain 
both a church and a school. ' ' 

; Pacifists are persons of indeterminate sex." 
'Pussy-footed busybodies." 
1 Puzzle-witted. ' ' 
'Race suicide." 

Small people, like small lies, love to contaminate great things." 
'Speak softly, but carry a big stick." 
: Special privileges. ' ' 

The flag in the Philippines must 'stay put.' " 
'The leader for the time being, whoever he may be, is but an 
instrument, to be used until broken and then to be cast aside ; and 
if he is worth his salt he will care no more when he is broken than a 
soldier cares when he is sent where his life is forfeit in order that the 
victory may be won. ' ' 

' ' There can be no divided allegiance at all. ' ' 



COLONELr— MAN OF MANY SIDES 455 

"There must be no sagging back in the fight for Americanism 
merely because the war is over." 

' ' The short and ugly word. ' ' 

"The strenuous life.'.' 

The wage-worker "must never be looked upon as a mere cog in 
the industrial machine. ' ' 

' ' Unctuous self -righteousness. ' ' 

"Utterly baseless stories" (about the Panama Canal) ; "a string 
of infamous libels." 

' ' We have room for but one flag, the American flag. ' ' 

' ' Weasel words. ' ' 

' ' When you play, play hard ; and when you work, work hard. ' ' 

1 ' There has been talk about 1,000,000 men springing to arms be- 
tween sunrise and sunset if we were threatened with invasion. Yes, 
they would spring to arms ; 400,000 of them would spring to rifles ; 
400,000 to black powder and squirrel guns, and the remaining 200,000 
would spring to scythes, hatchets and things." 



CHAPTER XXXV. 

THE PASSING OF THE GREAT MAN. 

Nation Suffers a Loss in the Sudden Death of Colonel Roosevelt 
— Death of His Son Lieutenant Quentin Roosevelt Hastened 
End — Simple Funeral as He Wished — Whole World Pays 
Tribute to His Memory — America and Other Countries Plan 
Memorials in His Honor. 

THE death of Colonel Roosevelt on January 6, 1919, came as a 
distinct calamity to America and to the world fighting for 
Democracy. 

Although he had been under a physician's care for some time, 
Colonel Roosevelt's death was entirely unlooked for when it came. 
On Christmas Day, he left the Roosevelt Hospital in New York, to 
return to his home at Sagamore Hill, after a seven weeks' illness, 
suffering from a severe attack of inflammatory rheumatism. He 
responded readily to the ordinary treatment for this trouble and 
was allowed to go home. 

It later developed that the distinguished patient had a pulmonary 
embolism about three weeks before he left the hospital, which nearly 
cost his life at that time. This was caused by a clot of blood break- 
ing away from a thrombosed vein. On this occasion the passage of 
this clot through the arteries to the lungs or the brain was checked 
in time to save the patient. His death, which was painless, was sub- 
sequently caused, his physicians stated, by a second embolism, an 
unusual but not rare development of pulmonary rheumatism. 

But at no time until the end actually came was Colonel Roose- 
velt's death believed to be imminent. In fact for a period of three 
hours on the Sunday before he left the hospital, he had dictated 
articles for the Kansas City "Star." At that time he ate well and 
slept like a child. Blood-pressure tests, it was said, showed the 
Colonel to have the arteries of a man of forty instead of sixty 
years. 

456 



THE PASSING OF THE GREAT MAN 457 

Colonel Roosevelt had been looking forward to his journey over- 
seas to view the grave of his son Quentin. No plans had been made 
for the departure, it was said, but it was thought that if his condi- 
tion improved he and Mrs. Roosevelt might start some time in May 
or June. 

The day before his death, Colonel Roosevelt, far from foresee- 
ing his end, had planned to accept the honorary chairmanship of 
the general citizens' committee appointed to welcome returning sol- 
diers to New York. Mrs. Roosevelt in sending the letter to Charles 
Stewart Davison, chairman of the committee, wrote that "the 
rheumatism has invaded the Colonel's right hand, so that he wants 
me to write that he has telegraphed his acceptance. This note is to 
assure you that he will be at your service by spring time." 

THE COLONEL'S LAST WORDS 

It was at 4.15 o'clock on the morning of January 6, 1919, that 
the former President died in his sleep. 

"Put out the light, please," were his last words. They were 
addressed to his personal attendant, James Amos, a young negro 
who had been in his sendee since he left the White House, and who 
was sitting at the foot of his bed. Some time later Amos noticed 
that the patient was breathing heavily and became alarmed. He 
left the room to call the nurse, who had been summoned from 
Oyster Bay the day before. When they returned Colonel Roose- 
velt had breathed his last. 

They called Mrs. Roosevelt, the only member of the family who 
was at home. There had been a family gathering Christmas Day, 
but as no alarm was felt over the Colonel's condition the children 
who were able to spend the holiday with their parents had gone to 
different parts of the country. 

Cable messages were sent to Major Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., and 
Captain Kermit Roosevelt, who were in service in France, and tele- 
grams to Mrs. Nicholas Longworth, to Captain Archibald Roosevelt 
and to Mrs. Ethel Derby. 

One of Colonel Roosevelt's New York physicians visited him 
three days before the end, but although the former president was 
suffering some pain from rheumatism, he made light of it, laughing 
and chatting without restraint. 



458 THE PASSING OF THE GREAT MAN 

The Colonel called to Sagamore Hill, the day before his death, 
a village barber whose work he liked. 

"I'm feeling bully, John," he said, "but I sent for you because 
I don't feel like shaving myself today, so get ready." 

An interesting revelation was made, in the final statement of 
Dr. John H. Richards, one of Colonel Roosevelt's physicians, when 
he said that his inflammatory rheumatism, from which he suffered 
acutely at times, was traceable twenty years back to an infected 
tooth. This infection spread to nearly all the joints in the Colonel's 
body as the years went on. 

Theodore Roosevelt was buried on January 8, in Young's 
Memorial Cemetery, near his Sagamore Hill home. Nature put on 
her grimest armor of snow and sleet and gray sky to receive her 
distinguished warrior son. 

THE FUNERAL SERVICES. 

Perhaps no other ex-president of the United States has been 
paid the tribute of so simple a funeral as the one which was given 
Colonel Roosevelt. Military and naval honors were not his in death 
only because it had been his wish, and that of his family, that the last 
rites be surrounded with the simple dignity that might attend the 
passing of a private citizen. 

But the American nation, and foreign governments as well, sent 
representatives, as did also the State and the city in which he was 
born. These noted men sat sorrowfully in the pews of little red- 
gabled Christ Episcopal Church, while brief services of prayer and 
Scripture readings were held without a eulogy in which so much 
might have been said. There was no singing or organ playing. 

It was the noon hour when, at the Sagamore Hill homestead, all 
of Colonel Roosevelt's family except two of his sons, Lieutenant- 
Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., and Captain Kermit Roosevelt, 
soldiers in Europe, assembled for a few moments of private prayer 
at the side of the coffin in which lay the body. Draped over the 
coffin were battle flags under which the Colonel fought as a Rough 
Rider on Cuban soil more than twenty years ago. 

The Rev. Dr. George E. Talmage, rector of Christ Church, said 
the comforting words which were the final ones spoken for the 
Colonel in the presence of Mrs. Roosevelt — for she did not accom- 



THE PASSING OF THE GREAT MAN 459 

pany the cortege to the church or to the grave in Young's Memorial 
cemetery. At the Sagamore Hill services only members of the im- 
mediate Roosevelt family were present. 

The body . of the former President was then taken from the 
famous room of trophies which he had assembled from all quarters 
of the globe, and was carried from Sagamore Hill on its final 
journey. Snow had come at dawn and had been falling steadily 
until the countryside was white, but the sun broke through the leaden 
clouds as the hearse left the Roosevelt estate and passed into the 
highway leading to Christ Church. 

Between hedges touched with melting flakes and under bare 
winter boughs which cast shadows upon the bushes of red berries 
lining the roadside the procession moved slowly, headed by mounted 
policemen who were the Colonel's friends in life and who had been 
sent by the city of New York to act as a guard of honor. 

MANY PROMINENT MEN PRESENT. 

Around the shore of a pond-like inlet of Oyster Bay and over 
a small hill the cortege moved to reach the church, a green frame 
structure with its roof surmounted by a steeple in which was the 
bell which was to toll the passing of the nation's twenty-sixth Presi- 
dent. 

Here, standing on the slippery hillocks which are the lawns of 
some of the Colonel's neighbors, were waiting townspeople. Because 
of the limited seating capacity of Christ Church, these villagers to 
whom the Colonel had long been friend and neighbor had not found 
admittance. They uncovered their heads as the coffin was borne into 
the church and waited outside until the services were over and the 
procession started for the cemetery. 

The sun had passed the meridian and the stained glass windows 
caught and held its rays as the coffin was carried up the aisle and 
placed close to the altar. 

In the pews were men who are among the foremost of the coun- 
try's citizens. Vice President Thomas R. Marshall represented 
President Wilson. General Peyton C. March, chief of staff of the 
army, and Admiral C. McR. Winslow represented the military and 
naval services and Secretary Lane the cabinet. William Howard 
Taft, who upon Colonel Roosevelt's death became the only living ex- 



460 THE PASSING OF THE GREAT MAN 

president; Charles Evans Hughes, Elihu Root, United States Sen- 
ator Henry Cabot Lodge, of Massachusetts ; Major-General Leonard 
Wood, Vice-Admiral Gleaves, Henry L. Stimson, secretary of war 
in Taft's cabinet; Governor Alfred E. Smith, of New York; Speaker 
Champ Clark and former Speaker J. G. Cannon of the house of rep- 
resentatives, were present to pay their last tribute on behalf of the 
nation, Congress, the State and the metropolis. The diplomatic corps 
at Washington also was represented. 

Many wreaths and floral tributes for which there had not been 
room at the Sagamore Hill home filled the church with fragrance. 
One which was sent to the Roosevelt home, and then brought to the 
altar, was the tribute of President Wilson. 

SCENE AT THE GRAVESIDE. 

Doctor Talmage, with Bishop Burgess, of Long Island, seated 
in the sanctuary, read the sentences, Psalms and Scriptural lessons 
which are a part of the Protestant Episcopal funeral services. The 
former President's favorite hymn, "How Firm a Foundation," was 
recited by the rector, in conformance to the Roosevelt's family's 
desire that all music, even the organ voluntary, be omitted. When 
he came finally to the Lord's Prayer, the congregation joined. 

The scene at the graveside was perhaps the more impressive. 
The plot which Colonel Roosevelt himself had selected as his burial 
place is the commanding spot in the peaceful and picturesque ceme- 
tery. At the foot of a slope and beyond the public highway there 
is a cove, while beyond lie the waters of Long Island sound. Not 
far distant, but concealed from view by some of the woods in which 
the Colonel was wont to roam, stands the Sagamore Hill home to 
which his father brought him when he was a small boy. Trees stand 
about this knoll, and the winter grasses were visible through the 
thinning snow. 

Here stood the Roosevelt family, except the boys abroad, and 
their mother, as the coffin, its historic flags now removed, was low- 
ered into the ground. Near at hand, looking on reverently, were 
men in public and private life, who had been intimately associated 
with Colonel Roosevelt in affairs of state, politics, literature and 
the army. Rough Riders, neighbors for whom Sagamore Hill will 
ever be almost hallowed ground, and children from the village school 



THE PASSING OP THE GREAT MAN 461 

to wliicli the Colonel sent his own sons and daughters. They formed 
a sorrowing circle as Doctor Talmage read the brief committal cere- 
mony. 

Former President Taft stood quite apart from the others in 
these final moments and seemed almost an isolated figure. The 
political quarrel which kept these two former presidents so long 
apart had long since been healed and Mr. Taft hurried from Penn- 
sylvania to attend the funeral. Earlier in the day, standing outside 
Christ Church, he had said: 

"Colonel Roosevelt would never have been happy to live the 
life of an invalid. His passing is an international loss." 

At the grave side he joined Doctor Talmage and the others as- 
sembled in saying aloud the Lord's Prayer as part of the com- 
mittal ceremony. 

As the outdoor congregation recited the Lord's Prayer, it was 
noted that Captain Archibald Roosevelt stood directly behind the 
clergyman at the head of the grave. 

DISPOSAL OF ROOSEVELT'S ESTATE. 

Other members of the family stood a few paces back from Cap- 
tain Roosevelt, while the congressmen and people of Oyster Bay 
were assembled directly behind a delegation of Rough Riders at the 
foot of the grave. 

The former President rested with his head toward the west, 
where the sun, dropping toward the horizon, brought out in striking 
silhouette the white-robed figure of the priest reciting the time- 
honored committal service of the Episcopal Church. As the last 
words were spoken a great flock of white birds were seen to alight 
on the frozen surface of the cove which the snow-capped eminence 
of the cemetery overlooks. 

Only the Rough Riders' floral tribute relieved the plainness of 
the coffin as it was lowered to its final resting place. 

Colonel Roosevelt's will, made in 1912, was said to have 
amounted to not more than $500,000. It provided that the entire 
estate with the exception of the family silver and plate, should be 
held in trust for the widow during her life, and gave her the power 
to dispose of it by will as she saw fit. In the event of no will on 
her part, it was provided that the estate should be equally divided 



462 THE PASSING OF THE GBEAT MAN 

among the children. The silver and family plate, was divided among 
the children, as it was in effect a $60,000 trust fund left to Colonel 
Eoosevelt by his father. Lieutenant-Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, 
Jr., and W. Emlen Roosevelt, a cousin of the Colonel, were named as 
trustees of the document. 

Extraordinary honors were paid this eminent citizen, following 
his death. Flags all over the country and in many other parts of 
the world, officially and unofficially were placed at half mast. Official 
business was largely suspended on the day of his funeral. Houses 
of business and industry, public and private, ceased activities on 
that day. Aeroplanes from the Government field at Mineola flew 
over the home of the former President and dropped wreaths as 
official tributes of the country to one of her distinguished sons. 
Scenes of gayety were halted and the wheels of industry stopped 
all over the country simultaneously with the final moments of the 
funeral allowing a minute or so of prayer and meditation. 

TRIBUTE TO THE GREAT AMERICAN. 

The United States Army of Occupation along the Rhine and 
in other portions of surrendered German territory, at every di- 
vision headquarters, paid a signal and fitting tribute to the great 
American during these same moments. Every American Flag in 
Rhenish territory on official orders from Washington was lowered 
at half-mast. At each division headquarters an official salute of 
twenty-one guns was boomed by the great cannon, which had but 
a short time previously belched forth a death knell to German 
hopes of victory, while at many places dirges were played by army 
bands. 

Tributes, messages of esteem and consolation and statements 
of appreciation both official and personal poured into the Sagamore 
Hill home from all parts of the world. Great personages and those 
of humbleness and obscurity, the world over, in one way or another 
gave voice or expression to their sorrow. Crowned heads, states- 
men, national leaders, warriors, men of thought and action in every 
walk of life -hastened to pay tribute. The press of the country and 
of the world contributed a remarkable outpouring of sentiment and 
appraisal of the great American's superlative qualities and enduring 
services. 



THE PASSING OF THE GREAT MAN 463 

President Wilson cabled to Mrs. Roosevelt: "Pray accept my 
heartfelt sympathy of the death of your distinguished husband, the 
news of which has shocked me very much. ' ' 

President Poincare, of France, when informed of the death of 
Theodore Roosevelt, said: 

"I am very much affected by the report of President Roose- 
velt's death, It was so unexpected. After the President had left 
the hospital some days ago we thought that all danger had passed. 

"Well do I remember the dignified letter which I received from 

MEMORIALS PROPOSED. 

Mr. Roosevelt after the death of his son Quentin, in which he in- 
formed me that he was coming to France to visit the grave of his 
son. It is distressing to me to think that poor Roosevelt will not 
have an opportunity to lay flowers on the grave of his heroic son. 

"The whole heart of France goes out to Mrs. Roosevelt in 
sympathy. 

"Friend of liberty, friend of France, Roosevelt has given, with- 
out counting sons and daughters, his energy, that liberty may live. 
We are grateful to him. We wish to express to Mrs. Roosevelt our 
most sincere condolence." 

When informed of the death of Theodore Roosevelt, Stephen 
Pichon, Foreign Minister, said : 

"Without entering into political matters pertaining to the United 
States, the t death of Mr. Roosevelt must be regretted. He was an 
eminent and courageous man, inspired with pure patriotism. France 
shares with the entire American people in the sorrow following his 
death." 

Similar messages were sent by King George and the heads of 
every nation in the world. In a proclamation President Wilson, 
though abroad, paid official tribute to the former President, and 
ordered that appropriate honors be done him. 

As a great national memorial, services paying tribute to the 
Colonel were held simultaneously on February 9 in all parts of the 
country. Preparations to build monuments in his honor were started 
in many places and like honors were proposed him in many other 
countries. A national order was sent out to 16,000 troops of Boy 
Scouts, as a "permanent expression of all Colonel Roosevelt stood 



464 THE PASSING OF THE GREAT MAN 

for to the boys of the nation," for the planting by each troop of 
one or more trees with suitable inscription and ceremony in memory 
of the former President. 

Lieutenant-Governor Channing H. Cox, of Massachusetts, sent 
a telegram to Senator Lodge asking that he introduce a resolution 
in Congress providing for the change of the name of the Panama 
Canal to the Roosevelt Canal. "In this manner," declared 
Lieutenant-Governor Cox, "there would be linked together for all 
time the name of the great American leader and this great American 
contribution to the world." 

Another proposal was made to have a new great bridge to be 
added to the number already spanning the Hudson River, named 
after the great American. Colonel Roosevelt himself, shortly before 
his death, had urged as a testimonial of the government to her 
heroes in the great war, a system of roads throughout the country, 
either built, in course of construction or contemplated, to be suit- 
ably named in their honor. 

QUENTIN'S DEATH A HARD BLOW. 

One of the things believed to have contributed more than any 
other to Colonel Roosevelt's breakdown, and already referred to, 
was the death of his son, Lieutenant Quentin Roosevelt, the aviator, 
in action in France. 

When Theodore Roosevelt saw his sons and his sons-in-law leave 
the shores of America to join in the most tremendous struggle the 
world has ever known, he knew they took their chances just as hun- 
dreds of thousands of other boys. He asked no favors for them. 
His only regret was that he could not fight beside them. 

And so, when Quentin, the youngest boy in the family, was killed 
in a battle among the clouds, Colonel Roosevelt accepted the result 
as a part of the Great Adventure. He had no complaint; his grief 
was too deep for sympathy. He had in the weeks preceding heard 
how his son, Theodore, had been gassed and wounded and how 
Archie had been crippled by German bullets. The end came to 
Quentin and Colonel Roosevelt displayed his wonderful fortitude 
in these words : 

' ' Quentin 's mother and I are very glad he got to the front and 
had the chance to render some service to his country and to show 
the stuff that was in him before his fate befell him." 



THE PASSING OF THE GKEAT MAN 465 

And yet, behind this was a depth of feeling and love that could 
not be suppressed. At a meeting soon after the United States en- 
tered the war, he was asked by a heckler why he was not in France. 
His reply was: 

"I asked not only to go over there, but I came with 100,000 
hands to help. And I will tell you, you man over there, that I have 
sent my four sons. I have sent my four boys, for each of whose 
lives I care a thousand times more than I care for my own — if you 
can understand that, you creature over there!" 

How much Theodore Roosevelt suffered when Quentin died, no 
person will ever know. The boy had sailed for France in July, 1917, 
to enter the air service as a lieutenant. He had been in the officers' 
training camp at Plattsburg, but without waiting to complete liis 
course he joined the aviation service. He worked hard, won his 
way by perseverance and skill and was loved by his associates. Once 
in active service on the fighting front, he showed his courage. Early 
in July, 1918, he brought down a German plane. A few days later 
he started out with a patrol in the Chateau Thierry sector. 

ROOSEVELT'S LITERARY PRECISION. 

It was at the beginning of a decisive battle which started out 
with a final dash on the part of the Germans to reach Paris and 
ended in a German defeat at the hands of American troops. In this 
fighting the air combats were bitter. Young Roosevelt's plane was 
attacked by two enemy machines. It fell and the young lieutenant 
was taken out of the wreckage, his body bearing the marks of sev- 
eral bullets. He was buried near the spot by the Germans, part of 
his plane being used to make the grave marker. 

Although suffering almost constantly from his long-standing 
ailment, inflammatory rheumatism, Colonel Roosevelt not only kept 
up his public writings, but found time during the last ten days of 
his life to digest a 250,000-word volume on pheasants written by 
William Beebe, of the New York Zoological Park, of which he in- 
tended to write a review. On the day before his death he wrote 
to Mr. Beebe as follows : 

"Dear Beebe: I have read through your really wonderful vol- 
ume, and I am writing Colonel Kuser about it. I cannot speak too 
highly of the work. Now, a question, on page 23, final paragraph, 

30— T.E. 



466 THE PASSING OF THE GREAT MAN 

there is an obviously incorrect sentence, about which T formerly spoke 
to you. Ought you not call attention to it and correct it in the 
second volume! In it you say, by inference, that the grouse of the 
old world and the grouse of the new world are in separate families, 
although I believe that three of the genera and one of the species 
are identical. Moreover, you say that the family of pheasants in- 
clude not only the pheasants, but the partridges and quail of the 
old and the grouse of the new world; and, furthermore, red-legged 
partridges and Francolins, which, of course, you have already in- 
eluded in the term partridges and quail of the old world. Obviously, 
someone has made a mistake, and I cannot even form a guess of 
what was originally intended. Do you mind telling me, and I can 
say in my review that this slip of the printer will be corrected in 
some subsequent edition. 

Faithfully yours, 

T. R," 
This, one of the last letters written by Colonel Koosevelt, was 
received fourteen hours after his death. 

AN ADVOCATE OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE. 

Theodore Roosevelt's last written expression on woman suffrage 
was made in a letter he wrote under the date of January 3 to Senator 
Moses, of New Hampshire. The letter follows : 

"You know how fond I am of Cabot Lodge, and I think he has 
done wonderful work during the last three months in international 
matters. But it is a misfortune from the standpoint of the war and 
from the standpoint of party expediency that he and Senator Wads- 
worth, of New York, and some of your New England senators should 
have been so bitter about woman suffrage. I earnestly hope you 
can see your way clear to support the national amendment. It is 
coming anyhow, and it ought to come. When states like New York 
and Illinois adopt it, it can't be called a wildcat experiment. I very 
earnestly hope you can see your way clear to support the amend- 
ment." 

There was much talk of having Colonel Roosevelt as the Re- 
publican candiate for president in the 1920 contest. In any event 
he was looked upon as the party standard bearer in this fight and 
his loss was considered a severe blow to his party's hopes. The 



THE PASSING OF THE GREAT MAN 467 

New York "World" was authority, however, for the following state- 
ment shortly before his death, that "Colonel Roosevelt's determina- 
tion to remove himself from political activities results entirely from 
his health. Interested politicians say the Colonel is not a well man 
and realizes he would be unable to undergo the rigors of another 
campaign. He considers it better for him to step aside rather than 
rush headlong into a certain physical breakdown." 

As a writer and speaker, Theodore Roosevelt was prolific. He 
was the author of many books, he prepared scores of magazine arti- 
cles and essays and he issued pamphlets on vital questions. 

HIS WONDERFUL AND PROFOUND REASONINGS. 

Most of his writings were popular with the public, although he 
was frank enough to admit that some of them were not of high 
literary merit. And yet, as was pointed out by Frederick Boyd 
Stevenson, there are chapters in the Roosevelt books, many of them, 
that rank with the best literature. He says : 

"Many of Mr. Roosevelt's speeches possess great literary merit. 
They are always aglow with originality and force. Sometimes there 
is humor in them, something that sets the country in a titter, like 
the Mollycoddle speech. Always when he writes or speaks, he has 
a motive^ He never sits down, pen in hand, waiting for the thoughts 
to come to him. The reason of the thing is the first thought; the 
style, the second. In his first essay in 'American Ideals,' he says: 

1 ' ' Every great nation owes to the men whose lives have formed 
part of its greatness not merely the material effect of what they 
did, not merely the laws they placed upon the statute books or the 
victories they won over armed foes, but also the immense but inde- 
fineable moral influence produced by their deeds and words them- 
selves upon the national character. It would be difficult to exag- 
gerate the material effects of the careers of Washington and Lin- 
coln upon the United States. Without Washington we should prob- 
ably never have won our independence of the British crown and we 
should almost certainly have failed to become a great nation, re- 
maining instead a cluster of jangled communities, drifting toward 
the type of government prevalent in Spanish America. 

" 'It was not only the country which these men helped to make 
and helped to save that is theirs by inheritance : we inherit also all 



468 THE PASSING OF THE GREAT .MAN 

that is best and highest in their characters and in their lives. We 
inherit from Lincoln and the might of Lincoln's generation not 
merely the freedom of those who once were slaves: for we inherit 
also the fact of the freeing them, we inherit the glory and the honor 
and the wonder of the deed that was done, no less than the actual 
results of the deed when done. 

BOOKS OF REFERENCE AND ADVENTURE. 

" 'The bells that rang at the passage of the emancipation procla- 
mation still ring in Whittier's ode, and as men think over the nature 
of the triumph then scored for humankind, their hearts shall ever 
throb as they cannot over the greatest industrial success or over any 
other victory won at a less cost than ours.' 

"There is literature in every line of that. 

"President Roosevelt's extensive reading on nearly all topics 
made him today one of the best — and perhaps, I might better say 
the best— generally informed man in the country. Mr. Roosevelt 
has his ideals among the men who have uplifted the nation. These 
ideals are among those who are reckoned as the great men of the 
world — men like "Washington and Lincoln and Wellington and some 
of those sturdy characters of history. 

"His 'Naval War of 1812,' sparkles with brilliant sentences and 
there also he has exhaustive references. He describes the American 
Navy at the beginning of the war and analyzes the race identity of 
the combatants. In 'The Rough Riders,' which was written at Al- 
bany, while he was governor of New York, he tells how he trained 
the regiment, and follows its movements on through the war and 
into the trenches and on the firing line. He goes into the personnel 
of his regiment. He knew every man in it. He had hunted with 
some of them, busted bronchos with some of them. And here is 
shown the camaraderie of Roosevelt — the good fellow in him — and 
here is the secret of his hold upon the people. He unconsciously has 
told this himself in his 'Rough Riders.' Many other things he has 
told to us, in his books, and so after all, the real side of Theodore 
Roosevelt, the soul of Theodore Roosevelt, is read in his writings." 

Colonel Roosevelt was author of the following books: "The 
Winning of the W T est," "History of the Naval War of 1812," "Hunt- 
ing Trips of a Ranchman," "Life of Thomas Hart Benton," "Life 



THE PASSING OF THE GKEAT MAN 469 

of Gouverneur Morris," " Ranch Life and Hunting Trail," " History 
of New York," "The Wilderness Hunter," " American Ideals and 
Other Essays," "The Rough Riders," "Life of Oliver Cromwell," 
"The Strenuous Life," "The Deer Family," "Outdoor Pastimes 
of An American Hunter," "Good Hunting," "True Americanism," 
"African and European Addresses," "African Game Trails," "The 
New Nationalism," "Realizable Ideals," "Conservation of Woman- 
hood and Childhood," "History and Literature," "Theodore Roose- 
velt, an Autobiography," "Life Histories of African Game Ani- 
mals," "Through the Brazilian Wilderness," "America and the 
World War," "A Booklover's Holidays in the Open," "Fear God 
and Take Your Own Part," and "National Strength and Interna- 
tional Duty." 

MEMORIAL SERVICES IN WASHINGTON. 

The final tribute of the nation to Colonel Roosevelt came on Sun- 
day, February 9, a month after his death, when special public memo- 
rial services were held in all parts of the country. In Washington the 
services were held before one of the most distinguished gatherings 
that ever filled the hall of the House of Representatives. Members of 
the dead ex-President's family occupied a special gallery, while on the 
floor of the House were seated William Howard Taft, the only living 
former President of the United States ; members of the Cabinet, 
justices of the Supreme Court, representatives of the army and navy, 
ambassadors, ministers and attaches of foreign governments and the 
Senators and Representatives. 

Only two members of Colonel Roosevelt's family were present at 
the services. They were Mrs. Alice Long-worth, his daughter, and 
Mrs. Douglas Robinson. 

Frank L. Polk, acting Secretary of State, headed the Cabinet 
members who attended. They included Secretary of the Treasury 
Glass, Secretary of War Baker, Secretary of the Navy Daniels, Sec- 
retary of the Interior Lane and Secretary of Commerce Redfield. 

General Peyton C. March, chief of staff, and Major Generals 
Crowder, Sibert, Black and Squiers represented the United States 
Army. Rear Admirals Blue. Braisted and Clark represented the 
Navy. 



470 THE PASSING OF THE GREAT MAN 

Diplomatic representatives of the following nations occupied 
seats to the loft of the Speaker's desk: Spain, Mexico, Japan, Chili, 
Portugal, Bolivia, Norway, Guatemala, Sweden, Denmark, Siam, 
Venezuela, Bulgaria, Salvador, Ecuador, Colombia, Honduras, Do- 
minican Republic, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Netherlands, Peru, Serbia, 
Great Britain, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, France, Roumania, Panama, 
Haiti, China, Montenegro, Greece, Cuba, Switzerland, Russia, Bel- 
gium and Persia. 

While the United States Marine Band played "'Come All Ye 
Faithful," the distinguished men who gathered to honor the memory 
of "the Colonel" entered the hall of the House in solemn procession 
and took their seats. The Rev. Forrest J. Prettyman, chaplain of 
the United States Senate, delivered the prayer, and then the Vice- 
President of the United States, Thomas R. Marshall, introduced 
United States Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, of Massachusetts, who 
pronounced the eulogy. 

SENATOR LODGE'S EULOGY. 

The feeling which moved a great nation to honor the memory of 
the ex-President with such public services found its interpretation in 
the eulogy of Senator Lodge, who said : 

" 'A tower is fallen, a star is set ! Alas ! Alas ! for Clem.' 

"The words of lamentation from the old Moorish ballad, which 
in boyhood we used to recite, must, I think, have risen to many lips 
when the world was told that Theodore Roosevelt was dead. But 
whatever the phrase the thought was instant and everywhere. 

"We cannot approach Theodore Roosevelt along the beaten 
paths of eulogy or satisfy ourselves with the empty civilities of com- 
monplace funeral tributes," said Senator Lodge, "for he did not 
make his life journey over main-traveled roads nor was he ever com- 
monplace. Cold and pompous formalities would be unsuited to him 
who was devoid of affectation, who was never self-conscious, and to 
whom posturing to draw the public gaze seemed not only repellant, 
but vulgar. In his spirit of devotion to truth 's simplicity, I shall try 
to speak of him today. 

"He was a great patriot, a great man; above all, a great Amer- 
ican. His country was the ruling, mastering passion of his life, from 
the beginning even nnto the end. 



THE PASSING OF THE GREAT MAN 471 

"Roosevelt was always advancing, always struggling to make 
things better, to carry some much-needed reform, and help humanity 
to a larger chance, to a fairer condition, to a happier life. Moreover, 
he looked always for an ethical question. He was at his best when 
he was fighting the battle of right against wrong. 

1 ' This is not the place to speak of his private life, but within that 
sacred circle no man was ever more fortunate in the utter devotion of 
a noble wife, and the passionate love of his children. The absolute 
purity and beauty of his family life tell us why the pride and interest 
which his fellow-countrymen felt in him were always touched with the 
warm light of life. In the home, so dear to him, in his sleep, death, 
and 

"So Valiant-for-Truth passed over and all the trumpets sounded 
for him on the other side." 



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